The powers of theatre, Part 2

Warning: I'm about to get all existential, and it's the inner Crossing Cultures student in me talking.

Theatre is more than rehearsals and performance. It extends outside of the script and off the stage.

Before you can attempt to cross into another culture, you have to understand your own. That's the underlying message I've taken away from Theatre of Crossing Cultures class.

We do a lot of exercises to help each other do this. The thing that makes the class unique and these exercises worthwhile is that it's a non-permit class, which means that non-majors can take it, as well. About half the class are theatre majors, so a lot of them aren't used to the open environment and activities that demand us to reach into the depths of our souls and share some of our innermost secrets with one another.

Sometimes it takes a lot to participate in these activities, especially ones that stir up unwanted or unrealized emotion from within us. But the class atmosphere grows so much from learning from each other that one never feels judged, everyone knows everyone else's name, and no one is opposed to sharing his or her opinion.

Who are all those people you've brought with you?

Have you even considered it before?

--DQ

The powers of theatre, Part I

Theatre of Crossing Cultures is one of my two theatre classes this semester. It's a bit different than your typical classroom structure. No exams, no lectures, no note-taking. Instead, we play a ball game every day, sit in a circle, and laugh and cry over each other's innermost secrets.

Sounds more like a camp pow-wow than a 300-level college course, right? Well, Barry, our teacher, is respected within the Theatre Department, even if he is a little unconventional. He drives his motorcycle to work and pushes around a shopping cart from Linens 'N Things full of shiny objects, noisemakers, bells, whistles, and decorations. He reminds us of his credo every day: "I have nothing to give you," rejecting the structure of the American education system and instead encouraging us to learn from each other.

I have to say that I've never had a class quite like it before. Although theatre classes are generally a bit more movement- or action-oriented than typical lecture or lab classes, I've never initiated class every day with tossing a globe-sized ball at my classmates to learn their names, or had the chance to share some of my most life-altering moments with people I hardly know.

There's a lot I want to say about this class; I'm breaking it up into a series of posts so it doesn't get monotonous. But if you want to get into the crossing-cultures mindset, ponder the following and all of its possible meanings:

"Who are all those people you have brought with you?"
The disciple whirled around to look.
Nobody there. Panic!
Lao Tzu said: "Do you not understand?"

Welcome to Theatre of Crossing Cultures. It's a wild ride.

--DQ