The Goodwill Retreat

by Patrick Torres, Middle and High School Program Director

Today, Theatre Action Project (TAP) had the pleasure of joining Goodwill’s Workforce Investment Act (WIA) youth investment team for their staff retreat. They invited us to perform some of the material generated in our program at Gardner Betts Juvenile Justice Center, New Stages: Arts Empowerment for Juvenile Offenders. Ms. Florinda, Ms. Nitra and I performed a collection of monologues and poetry and fielded questions about strategies we use to engage the students. It was a wonderful time, and we were grateful to be invited to share our work with them. It is good to know that our programs are well-known in the community and it is truly exciting that they devoted a portion of their day to learning about us and our techniques. However, the best part of the day was the reminder that there are so many passionate, intelligent and creative people working all around this city on youth development.

I was very impressed with their programs and excited about identifying ways we can work together to better serve youth in our city, especially those involved in the Juvenile Justice System. I am always inspired by people who devote their time to helping youth achieve success, and today I am thankful I had the opportunity to meet this team!

And I would love to meet more of you who are out there working with youth. So, if you are reading this and we haven’t had the chance to meet each other, leave a comment or contact me here at TAP. I want to know what you are up to!

P.S. My favorite big hair is Conway Twitty’s. See you at TAP’s Big Hair Country Fair on March 24th at the Salt Lick Pavilion! To buy tickets visit: TAP Big Hair. Proceeds benefit Theatre Action Project.

The Power of Their Own Voices

by Patrick Torres, Middle and High School Program Director

This year we are continuing our New Stages program at the Gardner Betts Juvenile Justice Center. Last fall, we worked with a group of young women to turn their experiences into poetry. Under the guidance of professional hip-hop and TAP teaching artist, Jbro, the participants learned how to share their unique perspectives to create captivating pieces and tap into their creativity. As a group, the poets also decided to work together to write an original hip-hop that share their collective feelings about incarceration and the lessons they have learned.

In every way, this class introduced these amazing young women to the power of their own voices and how their thoughts, experiences, and imaginations can engage and affect anyone who hears their story.

Currently, Jbro is professionally recording their original work at a local music studio. When he is finished, the young women will not only have a professionally produced copy of the work they so boldly put forward, but an opportunity to share their talent with the rest of us.