Tailored for Black university students, this Black Theatre Lab is designed to supplement your theatre and performance studies programs with Black history, Black culture and Black aesthetics. This workshop will be led by Maroon Arts and Culture founder Lindsay A. Jenkins, a dramaturg specializing in Black Performance Heritage.
Not only will you gain insights into Black theatre, you have the opportunity to apply those insights to the development of an original musical and contribute to a final presentation that will showcase the power of creative collaboration. This workshop is an opportunity to both inspired by the culture while also contributing to the culture.
All majors welcome!
Objectives:
To provide students with a foundation of Black theatre history and an understanding of Afrocentric methodologies.
To supplement existing academic curricula with culturally relevant instruction and materials.
To engage students in practical exercises that translate theoretical learning into tangible artistic expression.
To contribute to the development of Sandbranch- Maroon Arts and Culture’s legacy project, through student-driven research and creative input.
AFROCENTRICITY X DRAMATURGY
Rooted in heritage and focused on the future, Afrocentric Dramaturgy is an approach to the development of creative work that centers Black experience and interrogates White gaze. Drawing on research at the cross-section of Theatre Arts, Africana studies and Performance Studies, this perspective looks at the development of creative work as not just a process, but a way of understanding and interacting with the world around us and- more importantly- the world within us. Maroon Arts and Culture is excited to expand on this approach through our legacy project Sandbranch. Through a deeply investigative development process we will authentically weave cultural and historical narratives into the piece, enriching the theatrical experience for both artists and audiences. The Afrocentricity X Dramaturgy Workshop has been presented at universities and organizations across the country.
We are excited to bring this workshop to Claremont via the Pomona College department of theatre arts. As an organization that is invested in the future of theatre, we believe in supporting emerging black theatre artists with culturally impactful material that will prepare them to advance the theatre landscape.
BLACK THEATRE LAB ITINERARY
Day 1
Focus: Introducing students to Afrocentric perspectives in theatre.
Activities: Afrocentricity X Dramaturgy Workshop
Movement and Visualization
Materials: Distribution of a "Sandbranch Syllabus"
Day 2
Focus: Implementing Afrocentric approaches through practical exercises.
Activities: Guided by professional theatre artists, students will conduct research and participate in exercises to embody their findings.
Outcome: Creative pieces that could potentially contribute to the development of Sandbranch
Day 3
Students will showcase their work in a presentation, demonstrating the application of Afrocentric methods in theatre development.