Theatricum Botanicum and Beyond the Bell bring American History 'Off the Page' with South Central L.A. High School Students

The Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum takes social science and literature "Off the Page" with Fremont High School students as part of a long-term arts education residency program, Americana Off the Page: Viva La Raza! Twenty-five Fremont High School Beyond the Bell students work with Theatricum artist/educators to learn the basics of theater collaboration, improvisation and ensemble work. Student-generated performance pieces are rehearsed and presented at Fremont High School, with a free, public performance at The Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum in Topanga on Saturday December 12 at 2 pm.

To jump start the Americana Off the Page program, students first saw a professional performance of Theatricum's Americana concert assembly Viva La Raza!, a trip through Latino History using the songs, speeches, poems and writings of great figures and individuals. Afterwards, students had an opportunity to speak with performers Daniel Chacon, Angel Felix, Luis Galindo, Aaron Hendry, Marissa Herrera and Melora Marshall to discuss moments, figures, songs and speeches that inspired them.

Says the show's writer/director, Theatricum artistic director Ellen Geer, "These history programs came from a need. We've seen the student body within our schools changing and felt compelled to tell the story of the great men and women who have given the Latino and Mexican peoples a claim to their rightful place within California. Viva La Raza! honors and passes on the history of those that have become the majority in L.A. area schools. We are excited to see how this program stimulates students of all races to discover more of our shared history."

Artist/educators Daniel Chacon and Gerald Rivers then worked with the teens for seven weeks - two hours a day, three days a week - as part Fremont's Beyond the Bell classes, teaching theater skills and helping build student written/created performance pieces inspired by moments in Latino History that appeared in the professional performance.

Beyond the Bell (BTB) - Extended Learning Academy has been a part of the LAUSD since 2003. Under the guidance of Simone Charles, Extended Learning Administrator, the Beyond the Bell program is dedicated to ensuring that the students at Fremont High School have academic intervention and enrichment opportunities during their "off-track" sessions and after school. The BTB program has worked with local colleges, such as Trade Tech College, to encourage and support a "college-going" culture; as a result, students have even graduated Fremont with college credit. Each year the Fremont High School BTB Program serves over 3,500 students, recently expanding its repertoire of classes to include work with Theatricum. Americana Off the Page: Viva La Raza! is being offered as a special program supervised by classroom teacher Anne Verrier-Scatolini, and is integrated into the course work of classroom teacher Ms. Nasir. The students in the class are a cross section of at-risk youth, some in the class by choIce To increase their educational opportunities, others required to attend due to low grades received during regular on-track classes.

Artist/educator Daniel Chacon states, "The exploration of their own history fused with the creative expression of theater arts is an imperative experience for high school students, enhancing imagination, tennections, bringing history out of the textbook, onto the stage and into their bodies."

In addition to their work with artist/educators, student participants also continue their regular curriculum with Beyond the Bell instructors, thus integrating the performing arts component with the social science curriculum.

Americana Off the Page is supported in part by a grant from the Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, in part by the Boeing Foundation and the Bannerman Foundation, and in part by Beyond the Bell. Now in its third successful year, Theatricum and Beyond the Bell will continue the residency with Americana Off the Page: African-American History in Jan/Feb 2010. Together, these programs help address the inter-racial tension within Fremont's changing community.

For more information about the program, final performance, or to cover or support Americana Off the Page: Viva La Raza! and African-American History, please contact School Programs Director Elizabeth Tobias at 310-455-2322 x300 or classroomenrichment@hotmail.com .

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