During the Fall 2004 semester Dr. Robert Snyder, publisher of The Newark Metro — an online journal published by Rutgers-Newark University — asked me if I had any original student-created work that he could publish on the web as a “recorded live” theatrical performance.
I thought on this a bit and decided a great final project for my From
Page to Stage class would be for my students to write an original
dramatic piece lasting under 10 minutes that would explore Newark.
The
motto of The Newark Metro is “We Go Where the PATH Goes” and that
was the inspiration for our project.
Two projects were selected for live recording in the Audio section of
The Newark Metro: Almost Got You There — inspired by the 1967 Newark
Riots — and Newark in Black and Blue — inspired by the idea that
Blacks can be Racist against Blacks based on skin color alone.
Both
pieces were well-done by the students. You can listen to them both on
The Newark Metro website.
During the Spring 2005 semester Dr. Snyder and I reprised our goal to
get original dramatic work published in The Newark Metro.
The final
assignment, this time around for my Living Theatre class, was to write
a piece that dealt with Cultures in Conflict. The Low-Down Downtown — a touching piece dealing with homosexuality and religion and families
and acceptance and love — was the original piece selected for live
recording publication in The Newark Metro.
The Newark Metro has had some audio difficulties lately but keep trying
the site to find and then listen to the original student-written and
student-performed pieces. You will not be disappointed in the evergreen
and aesthetically impressive work of my students.
