Spring 2004

Drama collaboration benefits Northwestern, Evanston students

By Judy Moore

The play’s the thing at District 65 schools this spring.

About 30 eighth-grade students at Haven Middle School will be joined by eight theatre students from Northwestern University’s School of Communication to create a new theatrical production.

Rives Collins (right) heads the theatre for youth area in Northwestern’s department of theatre.

And another collaborative theatre-related project — the Gifted Drama Program – will begin its 12th consecutive year in District 65.

The Haven collaboration involves Rives Collins, who directs plays at the University for family audiences, and Betsy Quinn, drama specialist for Haven, who has been recognized for her outstanding work in drama education by the American Alliance for Theatre and Education.

This will be the second year of collaboration between Northwestern and Haven, said Collins. The sessions will start in early April and continue through the first week of June.

“The Northwestern theatre majors serve as drama mentors to the eighth-graders,” Collins said. “We meet at Haven for a two-hour session every Tuesday and Thursday afternoon to create a piece of theatre together. This year, we are creating a production that explores the life of photographer Louis Hyne and his crusade against child labor.”

The new production will be performed in early June in one of Northwestern’s black box theatres during a “by invitation only” performance for family members and friends of the students involved in the project.

Last year, Collins, Quinn and their students explored the assimilation of certain Native Americans during the 19th century. They discussed the complexities of cultures coming together.

“Many of the youngsters involved in last year’s production are currently active in theatre as freshman at Evanston Township High School,” said Collins. “Since the Northwestern students have such a wonderful experience learning from the children, it is truly a win-win situation.”

The Gifted Drama Program will involve about 175 District 65 fourth- through sixth-grade students who have been identified by their teachers as gifted in the area of drama.

Plans call for the students to meet with advanced students from Northwestern’s department of theatre at Martin Luther King Jr. Laboratory School for two-hour classes on three consecutive Saturday mornings, beginning April 17.

Under the guidance of Collins, and with the support of the master teachers from elementary, middle and magnet schools, the District 65 students will have the opportunity to experience theatre and the Northwestern students will have the chance to teach classes.

The program is geared to enrich the gifted drama students from District 65 and give them a better understanding of the arts, while providing Northwestern students a meaningful, mentored teaching opportunity.