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Welcome to Amplify & Ignite 2025

Thank you to our generous Donors -
Emerson College:
  • Academic Affairs
  • School of the Arts
  • Social Justice Collaborative
  • Department of Performing Arts 
  • Graduate Studies
  • Elma Lewis Center
  • Theatre Education Graduate Association
*     *     *      *    
Create your personalized schedule or click HERE to be directed back to the 2025 homepage.

If you wish to purchase a ticket to our Saturday Evening Events (Limited Tickets Available!): CLICK HERE

Sustainability Invitation
Emerson Sustainability is currently preparing for the annual Campus Race to Zero Waste competition that runs from February through the end of March. It’s a friendly competition between universities in North America to reduce waste on campuses and raise awareness about waste-related behaviors. In celebration of Campus Race to Zero Waste, we are participating in the Green Event Certification program and we hope you will join us in this challenge. In advance of your travel to Boston, we encourage you to bring a reusable water bottle and/or hot thermos and utensils to reduce the need for single use products.
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Improv in Action: A Two-Way Look at Forum Theatre for Young People
Saturday March 22, 2025 9:15am - 10:30am EDT
LB 229
Session Evaluation
I Got My Pride: How Exploring Identity Through Improv Can Increase Connection for Middle School Students
Presenters: Faith Soloway and Jaime Ullrich

In the dynamic landscape of middle school, connection is everything. The Urban Improv Residency Program has cracked the code, reaching over 1,000 Boston Public Schools students each year through a potent blend of music, improvisation, and meaningful dialogue. More than just an enrichment program, this innovative approach is a lifeline for young adolescents navigating the complex social terrains of middle school. By employing interactive games, nuanced role-play, and carefully crafted conversation starters, Urban Improv creates powerful moments of understanding, empathy, and personal growth. In this transformative workshop, participants will: Experience firsthand the techniques that help students break down social barriers Learn facilitation strategies that engage and inspire young teens. Discover how improvisation can be a powerful tool for social-emotional learning. Practice navigating challenging scenarios with sensitivity and creativity. Led by Urban Improv's most seasoned Teaching Artists, this session promises to be an immersive, eye-opening journey into the art of connection. Come prepared to participate, learn, and be inspired.

Their Issues, Their Voices: Creating Theatre of the Oppressed with Middle School Students
Presenter: Jordan Burnham-Bialik

How can Theatre of the Oppressed authentically address the systemic challenges middle school students face? In this interactive workshop, participants will explore practical techniques for helping young people create forum theatre about their lived experiences. Through hands-on activities, we'll demonstrate how to scaffold TO techniques that empower students to investigate issues ranging from academic tracking to family dynamics. Drawing from current examples of student-created forum plays, participants will experience a process that builds trust, maintains artistic rigor, and supports collective creation. The workshop provides concrete strategies for adapting Boal's methods to serve younger practitioners while honoring their capacity to analyze social systems. You'll leave with practical tools for implementing TO in middle school settings and approaches for helping students create theatre that matters to their lives. Come prepared to move, play, and discover how theatre can amplify student voices in your classroom. 
Speakers
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Faith Soloway

Faith Soloway (they, them, theirs): is a writer, director, composer, and performer, and has been a Rehearsal for Life employee for almost 30 years' first, as the music director for Urban Improv 1994 through 2016, and, now, as the Interim Artistic Director. They wrote for all four... Read More →
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Jordan Burnham-Bialik

Jordan Burnham-Bialik is a community-centered theater educator and social justice advocate whose work focuses on empowering young people through critical drama pedagogy. Currently serving as Drama Teacher at The Park School in Brookline, Massachusetts, they teach courses including... Read More →
Saturday March 22, 2025 9:15am - 10:30am EDT
LB 229
  Workshops/Discussions

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