Illumination Project 2011 Summer Institute

For more information contact: Jeannie LaFrance

2011 Summer Institute: Using Interactive Theater on Your Campus

A 5-day intensive workshop covering both theater skills and program logistics

Who Should Attend
College and University faculty and staff
Location:
PCC: Sylvania Campus, (Performing Arts Center Lobby) Portland, Oregon
Dates:
August 8 to 12, 2011
Times:
Monday through Thursday: 9am to 5pm, Friday: 9am to 1pm
Facilitated by:
Jeannie LaFrance, Illumination Project Coordinator
Cost:
$300, with a $100 deposit due at time of registration (non-refundable after July 27, 2011)
Registration:
Registration deadline is July 15, 2011. Please register as soon as possible as space is limited.
  1. Complete the registration form
  2. Email (jlafranc@pcc.edu) or fax (971-722-8556) your registration form to Jeannie LaFrance
  3. Mail check or money order. Please make check or money order payable to the PCC Foundation with “IP Summer Institute” in the memo line. Mail to:

    The Illumination Project
    PCC Sylvania, CC272
    P.O. Box 19000
    Portland, OR 97280-0990

About the Training

5 days, 8 hours/day (1/2 day on Friday). 20 participants maximum.

We are offering a five day intensive training, valuable for anyone who is interested in using interactive peer-education theater on their college, university or high school campus.

Participants will explore the techniques and strategies of the Illumination Project and Theatre of the Oppressed. These methods are used to promote civic engagement  and student leadership and as well as meaningful community dialogue and problem solving around issues of race, class, culture, gender, immigration, religion and sexual orientation etc.

During the training we will cover skills around:

  • creating the infrastructure for a campus-based interactive theater program
  • building community through theatre-based games
  • exploring social and political issues through theatre-based exercises
  • developing performance material
  • producing and facilitating public performances

This training is geared toward faculty and staff who work on college and university campuses but could also be useful for high school staff as well as social workers, artists and activists who work in the community.

A comprehensive training manual and accompanying DVD will be provided for all participants. If you cannot attend the workshop, you can order the manual and DVD separately.

What is Theater of the Oppressed?

The Theatre of the Oppressed, established in the early 1970s by Brazilian theater activist Augusto Boal, is a form of popular community based education which uses theater as a tool for social change. Theatre of the Oppressed is now used all over the world for activism, conflict resolution, community building and personal growth. Intended for non-actors, it uses theater as a catalyst for both individuals and entire communities to explore issues in their own lives and create avenues for personal, social and political change.

About the Illumination Project

Founded in 2001 the Illumination Project (IP) is Portland Community College’s innovative student leadership and peer education program. The Illumination Project uses interactive theater to address issues of oppression and to foster a climate of equality, compassion, justice, and respect for all people in the PCC academic community and community-at-large.

The Illumination Project admits 20 students each fall into our year-long program. Students apply to be in the program and receive 12 tuition free sociology credits over three terms.

The Illumination Project's interactive community performances are designed so that large sections of the campus participate in problem-solving around issues that  traditionally have made access to higher education more difficult for students of color, women students, poor/working class students, immigrant and sexual minority students.

About the Facilitator

Jeannie LaFrance has over 20 years experience integrating different theatrical disciplines into her work, including, traditional, improvisation, film, social activism, education, Theater of the Oppressed and Drama Therapy. Jeannie coordinates Portland Community College’s Illumination Project, a nationally recognized campus diversity program. The Illumination Project’s mission is to create an inclusive and accessible academic and general community through student leadership development, civic engagement and social change theater.

Jeannie is also is the director Act for Action-Theater for All based in Portland Oregon. Act for Action was founded in 1998 and uses theater and teaches others to use theater as a form of community building, education and social change. Jeannie has worked with a wide variety of nonprofits and schools and has been recognized by numerous organizations for her commitment to social change and her service to the community. Jeannie also teaches Theater of the Oppressed classes at Portland State University.

About Housing

There are different housing options available in the area including a couple local hotels and a hostel. You will need to reserve early (especially for the hostel). Local hotels that range from $45 to $105 per night for a single room and the Portland Hawthorne Hostel ranges from $25 to $48.  We are also looking for some group accommodations. Please contact us if you would like more information on housing before registering - after you have registered we will send you a list of housing options.