The Charter Oak Cultural Center has an ever-growing reputation as Hartford's premier multi-cultural arts organization, providing affordable community access to dance, theatre, film, concerts, readings and lectures as well as free education in the arts to over 450 under-served children. Charter Oak is a forum for thought-provoking exploration of the social, religious and political issues of our day.
Charter Oak hosts Learning to Repair the World, an innovative theatre workshop for a select group of Jewish, Christian and Muslim high school students in the Greater Hartford area. The workshop is focused on hard-hitting issues that affect all our lives, but are often ignored or sugar-coated.
The subtitle of Learning to Repair the World is Facing the Burning Issues of Our Day. Students will discuss religion and social justice, torture, domestic violence, the Palestinian/Israeli conflict, the crisis in Darfur, racism, hunger, issues in the Latino community, sexual identity issues and the AIDS epidemic.
We look to our youth to help find solutions to these challenges because they are our future leaders and because in this day of chaos, violence and injustice, it is often those who are overlooked or silenced who, when given the opportunity, can contribute the most healing insights.
SYNOPSIS
Each week, 18 Jewish, Christian and Muslim high school students will face burning issues that currently affect us in Hartford and around the globe.
During the first half of each session, students will participate in discussions led by some of the most effective leaders in the Greater Hartford community.
During the second half of the session, students will synthesize the day’s theme with facilitators from Hartford's HartBeat Ensemble, Hartford’s only professional theatre company, and will work together to ultimately create a play incorporating all of the themes presented throughout the workshop. The program will culminate with the performance of the play. |
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SCHEDULE
Tuesday evenings from 7 to 9:30 p.m.
September 18 - December 18, 2007
Rehearsals
December 4 - 11, 2007
Performance of Theatre Piece
December 17 and 18, 2007 at the Charter Oak Cultural Center
For further information and/or to receive an application, please call (860) 249-1207.
TOPICS TO BE DISCUSSED
Three Religions and Social Justice
Tuesday, September 18
Rabbi Donna Berman, Executive Director, Charter Oak Cultural Center, Judaism and Social Justice
Rev. George Chien, Metropolitan Community Church, Hartford, Christianity and Social Justice
M. Saud Anwar, M.D., American Muslim Initiative, Islam and Social Justice
Torture
Tuesday, September 25
John Humphries, Reclaiming the Prophetic Voice
Racism
Tuesday, October 2
Rev. Cornell Lewis, The North End Church of Christ
Palestinian/Israeli Conflict
Tuesday, October 9
Rabbi Andrea Cohen-Keiner, Interreligious Eco-Justice Network
Sexuality
Tuesday, October 16
Regina Dyton, Chair, Hartford’s Commission on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Issues
Crisis in Darfur
Tuesday, October 23
Christopher Doucot, Hartford Catholic Worker
Hunger
Tuesday, October 30
Dave Rozza, Food Not Bombs
Domestic Violence
Tuesday, November 6
Kerry Conroy, Interval House
Prejudice in the Hispanic Community
Tuesday, November 13
Jeannette De Jesus, Executive Director, Hispanic Health Council
AIDS
Tuesday, November 20
Speaker TBA
TUITION
The cost of the program is $500 per student. Tuition has been reduced to $100 per student, thanks to the generous support of the Beatrice Fox Auerbach Fund of the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Hartford, as advised by Trice Koopman. Please note that need-based scholarships are available. |
