UPSET! about this reading... I think not.

I really enjoyed the reading this week. Having already thought of Mady as a brilliant woman, I was excited to hear more about the work that she does.

I thought that the approach of crating this piece using Theater of the Oppressed techniques, the Joker system, allowed accessibility for the students. For one, the ability to be the creators of this show that spawned out from their ideas, experiences, and the public figures that interested them gave them power and freedom. I found it especially interesting to read that one kid had said that they didn't want to play a poor Latino anymore. So having the space to explore a completely different character from themselves gave them perspective on their own lives. They were able also to recognize the commonalities between what they experience and what their characters experienced. The root of oppression was recognized even though it was expressed by an grapefruit tree as opposed to their date palm.

Another thing that I thought was wonderful was the way this model allowed the students to investigate through play. It seems as though the immense sense of ownership they each had in this piece allowed for trust in playing and set them free.

I was pleased to see how aware Mady was on her influence on the project. She recognized her own bias and expressed that it existed. She had, especially as the writer and leader, a large amount of say as to how this work unfolded. However her awareness of that was crucial.

I think Theater of the Oppressed work is so fascinating, and I love the way it creates a strong sense of community and allows space to gain perspective.