Welcome! This is a unique space. Here on this blog, two groups of children will be connected. One group in Ghana Africa, and one in Nashville, Tennessee U.S.A. We will be connecting these children through the power of Giving and Theatre.
Children are one third of our population but they are all of our future. The Giving Project aims to inspire the children at the Good Shepherd Orphanage and Lake Providence Church to explore their individual artistic gifts through theatrical collaboration based on stories of giving.
I, Sage Howard, am going to Ghana this June (2008) and staying at the Good Shepherd Orphanage until mid-August (2008). In June and July, we will create and rehearse the performance based on stories about giving. Rehearsals will have two concentrations. First, we will explore the text of the story The Giving Tree. Second, we will generate supporting material through improvisation games, theatre exercises, and group talent exchange. The threads of verbal, musical and physical expression will be woven together into a final performance in August. This performance will inspire thought and discussion in the Good Shepherd community about giving: what they give, how they give, and the opportunities they have to give.
The Giving Project will extend beyond The Good Shepherd Orphanage and incorporate kids in the United States as I mentioned above. While we are rehearsing the performance, there will be kids in Nashville, Tenesee at the Lake Providence Church performance camp working on the same script (The Giving Tree) and creating original productions with their artistic gifts.
Good Shepherd Orphanage founder Bishop Kwaku Addei is dedicated to nurturing, in every child, a healthy balance of mind, body and soul. Also, Kwaku Addei inspires the children to be committed to community involvement and service. Overall, the Good Shepherd Orphanage advances the same values I want to promote as an artist and as a global citizen and I believe it is an environment that I can both learn in and contribute to.
Because the future of depends on these children, I want to give the gift of my artistic talent and creative energy to help further global interaction, artistic dialogue and idea exchange, and mutual love and respect. Creating theatre together strengthens our global community. Also, by making this project fun, exciting, and accessible, I will aim to inspire the community to do future theatre projects after I leave. My hope is that they will take the model I offer of auditioning, rehearsing, and making theatre, and adapt it to their own needs as educators and caretakers.
Specific Aims and anticipated outcomes
1. Provide an opportunity for children to explore their artistic gifts.
2. Inspire people to give and promote giving within our community.
3. Gain a better understanding of Ghanaian dance, songs, and the state of theatre in Accra and the surrounding area.
4. Create a sustainable form of theatre making for the Orphanage, so they can create more theatre after I leave.
But it is not just me! Michael Doonan and Brandon Smith will also be in Africa with me and the children. AND Amber Ileene is the director of the U.S half of this project and soon she will be telling you her side of the project. I am looking forward to many fun, exciting and fulfilling days in Africa. We all look forward to sharing these stories with you!
