Friday 8 August 2014

Meeting with Pamela Nomvete 7August - Johannesburg Civic Theatre - Planning for Drama Workshop

After the workshop at the college, Masie & I met with Pamela Nomvete and two of her colleagues in regards to a drama workshop that I was going to facilitate in Pamela's new performance space.  Her colleagues worked at a men's homeless shelter and had met Pamela when she came to speak at Wits University.  As most people do when meeting Pamela, they immediately fell in love with her drive, energy & smile [as I  had done a few years past] and immediately decided that they wanted to work with her.

We made a plan to deliver a verbatim theatre & forum theatre workshop along with a brief performance from the Ethical Leadership Workshop that 3 or 4 students from the college would perform [as well as supporting my facilitation].

The homeless shelter dealt exclusively with men beause, as one of the young women said, there isn't a big need for a women's shelter as they tend not to leave home  regardless of how bad the circumstances become for them.  The 'men' are as young as 9 and old as 18.  They are all currently experiencing homelessness and have gone to the shelter to get off the streets.

I hope that this workshop for them is fun.  I hope that these young men enjoy themselves and have a good time.  It is the least that we can deliver. I also hope that they are brave enough to share their stories to the rest of the group and enjoy seeing them acted out in front of them.  

I look forward to the college students leading as much of the workshop as possible.  I feel assured that they can lead in the games and activities as well as participate in the drama that is created.  I hope it creates a strong and powerful atmosphere to have these two groups meet and mix.