There is a significant underrepresentation of arts education in general, and Black educators in particular. This is even true within black and brown communities, such as those we serve in the South and West Side schools of Chicago. At Congo Square, it is our vision to raise up the next generation of black and brown voices. We seek to bring high-quality arts education to underserved communities, and underrepresented demographics (i.e. Black and BIPOC communities) through these discounted courses. By the end of these accessible, asynchronous modules, you will gain tangible skills from resources that even the most elite predominantly white institutions fail to provide.
Most colleges and universities teach that Drama originated in Ancient Greece, however, Theatricality dates back thousands of years to paleolithic life in Mesopotamia. Western playwriting was formalized in Ancient Greece around the festival of Dionysia. Each voting citizen in their proto-democracy was expected to attend these annual plays, as they shaped the cultural context and discourse around their laws and practices. That torch of elevating culture is carried forward today by legacy Black playwrights such as Alice Childress, August Wilson, Katori Hall, Lorraine Hansberry, and many more. It is the objective of the instructor to inspire you, our students, to join this historical legacy.
This course will examine the relationship between the character arc and plot structure. By sublimating learned experiences into fictional worlds, we create universal narratives. In our character-driven approach to playwriting, we will first learn from the defining moments of canonical characters in the American Cinematic and Theatrical landscape.
By examining the Defining Moments, or key scenes in a backstory, of compelling characters we’re familiar with, we can better articulate the Defining Moments in our own life stories, and ultimately craft captivating narrative writing that is rich with authentic and compelling characters.
COURSE OBJECTIVE:
Students who complete this course will walk away with a completed ten-minute play (i.e. three-dimensional characters, clear plot structure, and a strong sense of theme).