We are delighted you’ve signed on to become a mentor in Play with Grace’s Original Music Performance, "Songs Of Life," or our Expressive Drama program, "Taking Flight." Here you will experience firsthand the excitement of co-creation with music and theater. Throughout these 12-week programs (Songs of Life starting on March 20, 2012 for mentors; Taking Flight starting on September 18 for mentors) you will create, as part of a team, an original theatrical production, culminating in a performance before a live audience. We will experiment with improvisation, mime, role-playing, and theater techniques. We will work with real life experience, creative imagination and fantasy to create characters, settings and plots . . . with music and dance integrated throughout. Whether our production is a tragedy, comedy, romance or mystery, your unique and valuable contributions will be appreciated and celebrated by all.
Prior to the start of each session, you will be trained by our team of arts/human services professionals to work with consumers with special needs (all 13 years and older) in the realm of theater arts. We will have reviewed participant questionnaires prior to this time so that we better understand each participant’s needs, talents, interests and goals. You will be paired with an appropriate participant (possibly more than one), and will be invited to support this individual in the various roles they’ve chosen within the program (see list in #2). Because this is improvisation (not formal theater), the mentor’s role will unfold naturally and often unpredictably. Our goal is to make sure that each participant has an inspiring, fun and growth-provoking experience throughout the 12 weeks. And of course we want this to be a fun and meaningful experience for all our mentors as well!
Our fall 2012 session begins in September and we will have a training day (September 18, 2012) a week before our participants gather on September 25. This session is devoted to providing an overview of improvisational theater techniques, administrative and technical functions and human (support) services. During this day we will role-play, and discuss strategies for supporting participants in the varying roles within the program (see list in #2). The development of your particular role in the program is a "fluid" process and so, though you are routinely paired with one or two individuals, your role from week to week could change depending upon the needs and preferences of those you support.
We look forward to getting to know you and we are sure that you will find this a fun and meaningful experience!
