Project Success, Pericles and the Power of Theater
January 23, 2016
Project Success believes in the power of theater to transform students’ lives, using professional theater as a tool to foster self-reflection, open discussion, and community building. In this spirit, through a partnership with the Guthrie Theater and Minneapolis Public Schools, we will bring more than 2,100 ninth graders from nine high schools to Shakespeare’s “Pericles” at the Guthrie during January and February 2016.
In December, Project Success had the unique opportunity to travel with a group of nine female Minneapolis high school students to see the production of Pericles at the Folger Theatre in Washington D.C. Following the performance the group had a chance to engage in meaningful discussion with the full cast in a post-performance “talk back.” The Folger’s production was directed by Guthrie Artistic Director, Joseph Haj, and originally produced at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. The same production of Pericles will be on stage in Minneapolis from January 16 to February 21, 2016.
“Our group in Washington, D.C. engaged in important conversations around women’s empowerment and gender issues following the performance,” said Adrienne Diercks, Executive Director of Project Success. “I have seen how theater can change lives, and it certainly did through this immersive experience. Theater can ignite such positive change.”
Students involved in the trip will help to foster discussion with classmates around the play’s central themes in upcoming field trips and classroom workshops.
Edison senior, Electra Brenke, had the opportunity to share her experience in a speech at the Guthrie’s opening night dinner for Pericles.
“The part of the play that resonated with me most was the line ‘In hope, I live.’ That line was written on a piece of fabric and tied to a withered branch and was handed to Thaisa. This resonated with me the most because in my past experiences, hope was what got me through a great deal of things.” – Electra Brenke, Edison High School senior and Project Success student
Left: Backstage at the Guthrie Theater’s opening night of Pericles, nine Project Success students pose with Jennie Greenberry (far left), who portrays Marina.
As the show runs in Minneapolis, we look forward to holding workshop discussions with thousands more Minneapolis Public Schools students. Project Success will coordinate the theater experience for each matinee performance at every participating high school. In addition, highly trained Project Success facilitators will lead in-class workshops with every ninth grade student in its partner schools to draw out and discuss themes from the play. Each classroom workshop is created and customized to meet students where they are, and to help them understand and connect with what they see on stage.
Thanks to philanthropist Wayne Zink, and longtime partner, the Guthrie Theater, for making our Washington, D.C. trip possible. Pericles tickets are also generously donated by the Guthrie Theater.
For more information on Pericles at the Guthrie visit the Guthrie’s website.