|
News Releases 
Guten Tag! The Children's Theatre Company is off to Berlin - CTC International Bridges production of The Giant: A learning play about the use and abuse of power to be part of 11th Symposium of the International Brecht Society 
For Immediate Release: May 5, 2003
This summer, hundreds will gather at the Humboldt University in Berlin for two and a half days of meetings including 80 presentations in 24 interdisciplinary sessions about Bertolt Brecht. The select group of presenters includes academic scholars, international researchers and The Children's Theatre Company.
11th Symposium of the International Brecht Society
On Sunday June 29, 2003 at 4:30pm, 14 student-actors from CTC's International Bridges program will perform The Giant: A learning play about the use and abuse of power at the GRIPS Theatre in Germany. This original production will be part of Mahagonny.com, the 11th Symposium of the International Brecht Society. Around the world, scholars, theater artists and students submitted proposals for inclusion in this annual symposium. CTC is the only American theater and the only children's theater selected to participate in this international symposium, a significant honor.
CTC Junior Conservatory teachers Maria Asp, Marya Hart, and Matt Jenson have been working with a multi-cultural group of students to create a theatrical piece based on The Giant and His Suit of Armor, a Weimer-era political fairy tale by Edwin Hoernle. With the plot, metaphors and themes of the tale as their guide, the student actors have crafted an original multi-disciplinary production incorporating Brechtian acting techniques and poetry, the music of Hanns Eisler and Kurt Weill, and modern dance.
Following their performance at the GRIPS Theatre, there will be a facilitated discussion with artists, scholars and audiences to explore observations, responses and reactions generated by the play. This post-performance discussion is ideal for a play in the Epic theater style, a Brechtian concept designed to leave the audiences open for intellectual engagement with the play's social and moral messages. The facilitators are: Jack Zipes (University of Minnesota), Volker Ludwig (GRIPS), Albrecht Dümling (Berlin), and Lutz von Werder und Reinhart Wolff (Alice-Salomon-Fachhochschule, Berlin).
International Bridges
International Bridges is a new program that grew from the success of CTC's Neighborhood Bridges program. During the past six years, CTC teaching artists have been working in Minneapolis inner city schools two hours a week for the entire school year. The teaching artists use storytelling and creative drama to develop children's critical literacy. The program teaches young people how to think for themselves, and to express and articulate how they see and imagine themselves in the world. Over 1000 students have been involved in Neighborhood Bridges. This remarkable program was created by Dr. Jack Zipes.
Dr. Zipes has more than 20 years of experience working with children, educators, schools, actors and storytellers in using storytelling techniques to enhance core curriculum. He is an internationally recognized translator of folktales and fairytales. He is a champion of fairytales and children's literature and has written numerous books on those topics. Dr. Zipes is a professor and the Chair of the Department of German, Scandinavian and Dutch at the University of Minnesota.
The Giant: A learning play about the use and abuse of power
Once upon a time there was a giant enslaved by hunchback dwarf; they were evil hard masters. By chance the giant learns that on the other side of the mountain live free and proud giants. The thought of escape begins to preoccupy him, so he begins to craft a suit of armor. Over time the suit of armor is crafted to such perfection that the giant cannot bear to see it damaged. A lack of conviction in his escape plans and the passing of time dwindle the giant's memory of his original intent. The armor suit becomes his freedom, so he need not run - he is free. Isn't he?
This is one of the questions that triggered the student actors' discussions, brainstorming sessions and eventually the creation of The Giant: A learning play about the use and abuse of power. The 14 students are Ellen Rachel Abram, 12; Anna Hazard, 12; Kristina Hoskens, 12; Theo Langason, 13; Lars Lee, 12; Hannah Miller, 11; Manashi Oslund, 13; Sofia Potter, 13; Liana Simonds, 13; Jared Smith, 11; Jacqueline Stahlmann, 14; Susanna Stahlmann, 13; Adara Thomas, 14; and Leslie Thomas, 13.
Prior to participating in International Bridges, these student actors received Theater Arts Training at CTC. CTC's Theatre Arts Training Program provides challenging, innovative, high-quality arts education opportunities to students of every cultural heritage, ability, and level of interest. The goal is to help students develop their imaginations, voices and bodies by teaching theater skills that help them grow - both as artists and as people. These 14 students incorporated the skills they learned in Theatre Arts Training into their work for The Giant: A learning play about the use and abuse of power.
The Giant: A learning play about the use and abuse of power is adapted from The Giant and His Suit of Armour by Edwin Hoernle, with music by Hans Eisler and Kurt Weill, and text by Bertolt Brecht. This production is directed by Maria Asp, choreographed by Matt Jensen and music-directed by Marya Hart.
Prior to the Berlin performance, The Giant: A learning play about the use and abuse of power will have two debut performances in Minneapolis. The performances are on Saturday, May 10th at 1pm & 4pm in The Children's Theatre Company Studio Theatre. The performances are free, but seating is limited. Contact Dana Ward, Education Manager, at 612/872-5118 to reserve seats.
International Bridges Itinerary
Tuesday, April 15 - Thursday, May 8
Rehearsals for The Giant: A learning play about the use and abuse of power
Saturday, May 10
The Giant: A learning play about the use and abuse of power. 1pm and 4pm at the Children's Theatre Company Studio Theatre. Free, limited seating. Contact Dana Ward at 612/872-5118 to reserve a seat.
Monday, June 23
International Bridges departs Minneapolis for Frankfurt
Tuesday, June 24
International Bridges arrives in Frankfurt; Travel to Lutherstadt Wittenberg
Wednesday, June 25
Explore Lutherstadt Wittenberg
Thursday, June 26
Travel to Berlin
Thursday, June 27
International Bridges student actors meet their pen pals; Performance of The Giant: A learning play about the use and abuse of power
Saturday, June 28
Dress Rehearsal of The Giant: A learning play about the use and abuse of power at GRIPS Theatre
Sunday, June 29
4:30 pm performance The Giant: A learning play about the use and abuse of power
Monday, June 30
Guided Tour of Berlin
Thursday, July 4
International Bridges returns to Minneapolis
CTC's International Bridges Project wishes to thank the following contributors for their support of this unique program: Iceland Air, The German American Heritage Foundation, Goethe-Institut Inter Nationes Chicago, Bundesministerium fur Wirtschaft und Arbeit, Jim and Cindie Smart, and the Center for German and European Studies: A Consortium of the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities and the University of Wisconsin - Madison.
Learn more about CTC's Theatre Arts Training Program»
Learn more about CTC's Community Partnerships, including Neighborhood Bridges
Back to News & Reviews
| 
