The Monroe

Street Project

This is our third year of introducing young people to the business and craft of theater with the Monroe Street Project – playwriting and acting for ages 9 to 15. Our program focuses on the process of theatre and the innate creativity of the participants.

We believe that through theatre, participants will develop personal skills to help them grow comfortable with their own voices and ideas while developing social and interpersonal skills that help them to contribute successfully to their own communities. Participants learn ways to get over stage fright and build self confidence, as well as learn to work in a team. We introduce the basic tools of stage craft through character motivation and scene work while fine tuning important skills such as vocal projection, diction and stage presence.

For our playwriting program, the vision is simple: Start with the participant’s ideas and build them into an original script with characters they create and develop themselves. This way, the students determine which of their talents to showcase and we work those traits into the personality of their character.

This year we have added a third focus - Reader’s Theatre - a dramatic presentation of a written work in a script form. Readers read from a "script" and reading parts are divided among the readers. No memorization, costumes, blocking, or special lighting is needed. Scripts are held by the readers; lines are not memorized. The focus is on reading the text with expressive voices and gestures - making comprehending the text meaningful and fun for the participant!

We are committed to igniting and nurturing the creative spark in our young performers.