Play for Change are immersive theatrical experiences for families
featuring puppetry, live music and art-making to talk about power, joy and liberation,
led by Tanya Nixon-Silberg (Little Uprisings) & Bonnie Duncan (The Gottabees).
Tanya and Bonnie bring their expertise as educators for racial justice and theater makers for young audiences
to empower youth to imagine themselves as change makers, to practice being change makers, and to ultimately be the change makers.
featuring puppetry, live music and art-making to talk about power, joy and liberation,
led by Tanya Nixon-Silberg (Little Uprisings) & Bonnie Duncan (The Gottabees).
Tanya and Bonnie bring their expertise as educators for racial justice and theater makers for young audiences
to empower youth to imagine themselves as change makers, to practice being change makers, and to ultimately be the change makers.
Play for Change is designed to support and inspire resilience, agency, advocacy, and change.
It is our goal that every participant leave our experiences filled with joy and
equipped with the language and tools for speaking out and fighting injustice.
It is our goal that every participant leave our experiences filled with joy and
equipped with the language and tools for speaking out and fighting injustice.
Learn more about Tanya and Bonnie's collaboration, approach to this work, their friendship, and their hopes for Play for Change:
COVID-19 and recent national attention to racial violence and inequities has upended much of our practices in the classroom and how we relate to our community as families. Educators and parents alike are feeling the need to
address injustice in the classroom and in their communities, in a way that is child appropriate and non-didactic.
We need spaces in which children can imagine themselves within this moment.
One tried and true way to engage youth about the world is through play. As beloved educator and visionary Fred Rogers said,
“play is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious learning.
But for children, play is serious learning. Play is really the work of childhood.”
Theatre is play and it provides opportunity to experiment with real life situations.
address injustice in the classroom and in their communities, in a way that is child appropriate and non-didactic.
We need spaces in which children can imagine themselves within this moment.
One tried and true way to engage youth about the world is through play. As beloved educator and visionary Fred Rogers said,
“play is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious learning.
But for children, play is serious learning. Play is really the work of childhood.”
Theatre is play and it provides opportunity to experiment with real life situations.
A Note From Tanya and Bonnie
“This project has grown out of our shared love of building community through art and action; our deep respect and trust of children's perspectives and voices; and our friendship as mothers, artists, and educators. We are thrilled to share this work with your community!”
- Bonnie & Tanya
all photos by Tess Scheflan
|
|
This project is made possible by a Live Arts Boston grant from the Boston Foundation & a 2021 grant from the Boston Cultural Council.