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Changing Lives is back for the summer!

We are three weeks into our program with an ensemble of enthusiastic and super talented teens. These ensemble members have been writing monologues inspired by different prompts including visual art, video clips, and their own personal experiences. They have also begun to do improvisational activities and acting work as well.

We would love to share some pictures from our first couple of sessions.

Colton and Marielle hanging on every word Nitra says.

Time to look at some art to inspire our monologues!

Pure awesomeness

A little creepy

Woa.

Karla found inspiration in her piece.

Nick deep in writing.

Colton interacting with the art while making custom messages for us.

Continue following us in the coming weeks with more news about what we’re up to.

Thanks for stopping by!

Join the Free Summer CLYTE!

Are you a teen who'd enjoy creating art that makes a difference?

Is there a young person you know who inspires other youth to be their best?

Are you connected to someone who works with teens that could help us spread the word?

Some more info . . .

Who are we?

Changing Lives is a program of SafePlace and the Theatre Action Project. The Changing Lives Youth Theatre Ensemble is a group of high school age artist/activists who create original performances about issues that affect teens. During the school year, our students create a play in the fall semester which we tour in the spring to various middle schools and community events. Our goal is to ignite dialogue about issues like bullying, dating violence, prejudice, homophobia through the art of theatre. During the school year, our students are paid a stipend for their work.

What's up this summer?

Right now we are looking for creative, outgoing youth ages 13-20 to be a part of our FREE summer program. This program will run from June 14th through August 4th. We will meet twice a week from 1-3pm at Paragon Prep school on Tuesdays & Thursdays. We will also host a FREE retreat to the Hill Country the weekend of July 16th & 17th. Positions for the summer are unpaid but if a student enrolled in the summer program is interested in committing to the program for the following school year, they will have the opportunity to fold into a paid position with the ensemble without auditioning.

Please reply to this email (please no 'reply all') or contact me via cell (361-537-6163) with interest or questions. Text & talk is OK - before 10 PM please.

If this message reaches you after June 14th, find me anyway -- there's always room for one more person if it's the right person. ;)

Changing Lives @ Peter Pan Mini-Golf!

The Changing Lives Youth Theatre Ensemble has been hard at work touring our production ofReach Out, Speak Up throughout the Austin Area. Since November, our ensemble has performed for over 3,000 people!

After all this hard work, we thought it was time to have FUN

in a different kind of environment.

Here we are with our new friend, the T-Rex

Tommie, Lina & Darryl before the match begins

Nicole & Darryl pose thoughtfully

Kristal, Nicle, Lina & Joe goofin' out on the turtle!

The youth in our ensemble have fun doing just about anything together. Having the experience of being an ensemble has created connections between us that go beyond our jobs as a theatre group. We're all really good friends too!

If you know of any creative, motivated youth who would enjoy doing what we do, please tell them about upcoming auditions for our summer company.

Contact nitra@theatreactionproject for more info!

Changing Lives in the Media Spotlight

Check out our feature on KXAN news!!

Kudos to our ensemble for being amazing on-camera

and taking a stand against bullying.

Student play attacks bullying: kxan.com

In addition to writing the show and performing, our ensemble members also get some pretty amazing opportunities to spread our anti-bullying message. Here we are participating in a media training.

Media training allows us to practice answering questions

in an interview format.

The best part is that we get to practice it all ON CAMERA!

Who knew that untangling a human knot could be this much FUN!?!?

Spreading Our Message on the Road

Reach Out, Speak Up has been touring to conferences and middle schools this month. The ensemble has been performing this show and having exciting dialogue with students, educators and parents in Austin and the surrounding area.

Kristal (as Claire - the target of bullying) and Greg

(as Claire's Dad) perform a scene that shows

a Dad reaching out to his daughter

by playing a song he wrote just for her.

(At the Con Mi Madre Conference)

Ensemble members getting CHEEZY for the cameras!

(L to R: Max, Adrian, Madi, Greg & Boni)

Last minute PEP talk before our show at Wallace MS in Kyle, TX

After the show, we sometimes get GOOFY :)

Thanks for tuning in!

Reach Out, Speak Up Trailer

Check out the trailer for our 2010-2011 touring show, "Reach Out, Speak Up."

Our tour kicks off at full speed in February for Teen Dating Violence Prevention Month.

We'll be coming soon to a school near you!

Ensemble Voices

This week, we're featuring the voices of a few of our ensemble members. Check out what they have to say about our program!

Darryl

It's made me realize things I didn't before. Like Bullying could just be just having fun making jokes about someone. But that person could be really hurt by what you said. I also realized that anyone can spread a rumor without actually thinking, "I am now spreading a rumor." You could just be telling friends stuff about what you heard from other people. Just be cautious and think before you act - or even speak. Have the thought process of, "What am I really doing if I say this?" or, "What would be the outcome if I did this?" It's a lot of "what ifs" but sometimes you have to think.

Now in our new play, "Reach Out, Speak Up," a few main topics are bullying and rumor-spreading, which I believe is great. People should be informed about these things and also try to make a difference. Trying to make a difference makes a difference. :D

Jonathan

At school

I see others bullying each other

I see students disrespecting teachers

I see too much play fighting that turns into a real fight

I hear others getting bullied by their supposed-called friends

I see or hear that Bullies sometimes get away with it

Changing Lives makes you notice what's bullying or how it feels when you get bullied. You learn how to be yourself and tell others about the program and have others think about joining into Changing Lives to change others' lives and to stop bullying because it HURTS.

Hear more from our ensemble members next week!

New Changing Lives Videos!

Ensemble Directors Nitra and Susie appear on a local morning TV show to discuss cyberbullying, our new production and the power students have to make positive changes in youth culture. Watch below!

Cyber Bullying and Dating Violence: MyFoxAUSTIN.com

Darryl's Jamskating Solo

Tommie dances with his friend Lauren

More great news to come!

Preview "Reach Out, Speak Up" Tonight at the Griffin School

Standing: Tommie as "The Rocket," Stephanie as "Melissa," and Adrian as "Dude"

Seated: Kristal plays "Claire"

"Reach Out, Speak Up" is an original theatre piece that our ensemble of 20 teens and 3 adult facilitators have created over the course of the Fall semester. This play aims to address issues of bullying and the isolation many teens face in high school. We hope to engage our audiences in dialogue about these issues, so please come see our work-in-development and join us in our creative process.

"Reach Out, Speak Up" is appropriate for middle school aged audiences and up.

Where: Griffin School 710 e 41st street, across from the Hancock Center

When: Thursday, December 9th - Performance will begin at 8pm.

From left to right: Adalai as "Melissa," Adrian as "Dude" and Nicole as "Claire"

Please see our blurb below from more info about our story!

Being the new kid in high school is tough. Finding yourself the victim of bullying in school is worse. When Claire, a new student, becomes the target of a cyberbullying campaign, she realizes she does not know where to turn. Observe the story from both sides in our new Changing Lives performance.

How can the new girl find a way to fight back against cyberbullying? How can bystanders, both in school and online, take action? What can our teachers and families do to support their kids and students? What pushes someone to become the bully?

Our play is still a work in progress but we're very proud of our group's hard work. Join us at the Griffin School to engage in the dialogue and celebrate a successful fall semester with our super-talented ensemble.

Standing Up to Cyberbullying!

In our latest play, a new girl comes to school to get a new start and finds herself the victim of a cyberbullying campaign. This behavior has become a huge problem among young people in the last few years. Cyberbullying is when teens use the Internet, cell phones or other devices to send or post messages or images that are intended to hurt or embarrass another person.

Cyberbullying behaviors can look different. Pretending to be someone you're not to trick others, spreading lies or rumors about the victim, tricking people to reveal personal information, sending (or forwarding) mean text messages or posting pictures of someone without their consent can all be forms of cyberbullying.

If you or someone you know is being harassed via text messages or the Internet, there are steps that can be taken to end it. You can start by blocking all communication with the bully, deleting their messages without reading them and reporting the problem to an adult. You should also talk to your friends about what is happening and give them chances to support you.

According to the National Crime Prevention Council, 81% of teens surveyed said they thought most people do it because they think it's funny. Because we can't easily interpret the tone of a text message, what one person calls a joke can end up being dangerously hurtful.

Remember -- encouraging your friends to pass along anything that could hurt someone IS Cyberbullying. Stand up to your friends and tell them to stop it. Let them know that no one deserved to be Cyberbullied!

Taking a Stand Against Bullying

The ensemble would like to give a shout out to Graeme Taylor for being a courageous bystander and standing up against bullying. You ROCK!

Taylor's speech at an Ann Arbor school board meeting has gone viral in a matter of days. In the video below you can see an articulate and openly gay teen offering his support to a teacher who was suspended for intervening in a bullying situation.

Here is just one example of the power young people can have in their communities. For teens who think, "I'm just one person, how can I make a difference?" or "I'm just a teenager, what kind of change can I make to this world?" Take a cue from this young student and see how powerful your voice can be if you only have the courage to make yourself be heard!

Huzzah to Graeme for having the courage to speak up!!

Changing Lives All Over Austin

The ensemble's last two performances are making headlines! Our new play raises questions about the isolation young people can experience. It also takes a stance on bullying and cyber-hate. Check out this news video featuring our anti-bullying work at the No Place for Hate Youth Summit. See ensemble member Stephanie Loza's interview at the address below.

http://weareaustin.com/fulltext?nxd_id=102497&shr=addthis

Our performance at the Ann Richards School was also a huge success!

We performed our play for an intimate audience and had some great conversations about bullying. Take a peek at some of these photos of our ensemble as they perform for an audience of young women at the "We Are Girls" Coference.

Melissa and her Boyfriend each reflect on

her jealousy and wonder "what will happen next?"

In this scene, "The Rocket" is pressured by his friends to harass the new kid.

A teacher wonders why the new kid is having such a hard time fitting in.

In this scene, a father reaches out to his daughter,

who is feeling isolated at her new school.

More news to come about our December 9th sharing at the Griffin School!

Ensemble to Perform at the We Are Girls Conference

Our ensemble will be be making an appearance at an exciting local conference this Saturday. The Girls Empowerment Network (GenAustin) will be hosting their We Are Girls Conference this Saturday, November 6th at the Ann Richards School.

Registration is still open if you'd like to attend this conference!

GenAustin's mission is "to foster healthy self-esteem in girls by engaging them to explore and define their personal values and to build skills that empower them with confidence and courage to make wise choices." For more information on GenAustin or their work in the Austin Area, please see their website: www.genaustin.org

We will perform our teen-generated performance piece about issues of bullying and cyberbullying. After the performance, ensemble members will host a series of interactive activities and help participants brainstorm different ways they can become a helpful bystanders in bullying situations.

Nicole (center) plays Claire, the new girl in school

who becomes the target of some nasty rumors.

Why is it different to text than to say something directly to someone's face?

In this moment, ensemble members create a human facebook wall.

When do comments made "just for fun" get out of hand?

Thanks for tuning in.

We'll keep you posted with photos and news from this weekend's performance!

Changing Lives Performs at the Texas Capitol

The 2010-2011 Ensemble has had their first performance of the season! Last week, we were able to perform at the No Place for Hate Conference -- an event for 8th graders from schools all over the city. The conference is sponsored by the Anti-Defamation League and gave students the chance to participate in workshops about prejudice, discrimination and bullying.

We are midway through our process of creating this year's play (that includes themes of isolation, bullying and cyberbullying) and were able to give a preview performance to over 700 students attending the conference. We will tour the finished piece to local schools and community centers in the spring.

We had a great time sharing our piece and engaging in dialogue with the 8th graders. They were a fantastic first audience. Check out our photos below to see more about how our day went!

Here we are posing on the North side of the Texas Capitol.

Autographs?!?! Don't mind if we do!

Hey -- what are you all looking at???

Ooooh. Ahhh. The Capitol Rotunda.

We also spent some time horsing around on the lawn after our show.

Click the 'follow' button to get more news about the Changing Lives Youth Theatre Ensemble!

To see another story about Theatre Action Project's stance on Bullying check out this article:

http://www.utexas.edu/features/2010/11/01/bullying/

AUDITIONS for 2010-2011 Ensemble

Are you into theatre? Want to make a difference?

Want to get paid to be creative?

Work with other teens from across Austin to create, perform and tour an original play about preventing relationship violence. Become a peer leader and use your talent to educate other teens through theatre.

We are currently auditioning for the 2010-2011 Changing Lives Youth Theatre Ensemble.

Changing Lives is a group of teens who devise and perform original theatre pieces to educate their peers about safe and healthy relationships in an effort to prevent teen dating violence and relationship abuse. This program is a collaboration between Theatre Action Project and SafePlace.

This is a PAID opportunity to put your talent and creativity to good use in our community!

High school aged actors, writers, dancers, musicians & creative types are encouraged to apply! Bring a friend!

No experience necessary/ enthusiasm & teamwork required.

Students in the ensemble must commit to the program for a full school year. The ensemble rehearses twice a week (Tuesdays & Thursdays 7-9 pm). In the Fall, we will build our ensemble skills and create our play. In Spring, we tour to middle schools, high schools, conferences and special events in the community.

Auditions

Tuesday, August 31^st

7-9PM

SafePlace Community Room

1515 Grove St., Austin, TX 78741

Be prepared for teamwork exercises, group discussion & scene work.

No need to prepare anything, you will read from a script for your audition.

reserve PLEASE RSVP to reserve your spot.

To RSVP & your audition spot, please email nitra@theatreactionproject.org or text your full name & the word "audition" to nitra's cell (646-228-8133).

If you have questions about the program, please call Nitra @ TAP 442-8773 x208, on the cell @ 646-228-8133

Looking forward to a new & exciting year,

Nitra Gutiérrez

Artistic Director,

Changing Lives Youth Theatre Ensemble

Local Teens Fight Cyberbullying!

Check out this local news story about teens

standing up to bullying on FaceBook.

Their positive, "anti-burn book" group is

growing like crazy. Check it out!

Kudos to these Austin teens who spoke up and stood up

to do something positive for their community!

We ROCKED the 2010 Summer Showcase!

Congratulations to the members of our ensemble for making our 2010 Summer Showcase a huge success. This Saturday marked the culmination of our 5 week intensive program where our students shared their work at the Vortex.

Our work was centered around themes of teen relationships -- including teens' relationships to technology! Check out some photos from our performance below!

"What Should I Do?"

Addie plays Danielle, torn between her love for Jen
and her feeling that something has changed in her since they
started dating - and not for the better.

DJ plays the role of Ryan - a friend of Danielle's who recognizes
Jenn's behavior as unhealthy and asks his basketball coach for advice.

Olga also plays Danielle -- this monologue piece featured 11 actors playing 3 roles!

"Time to Act Now!"

We found folks with musical talents, so we incorporated a hip-hop piece into the program. This song tells the story of a relationship gone bad and calls teens to action and help peers in unsafe relationships!

Chris plays some pretty sweet phrases on his guitar!

"Labels"

Our students wanted to address some
assumptions adults have about young people.

Tim's character objects to being called a "thug."

Ofelia's character hides her insecurities.

Arturo's character says, "people make assumptions
about me because they only see the negative and not the positive"

These characters take their power back by shedding the labels society
has placed on them and sharing the identities they claim for themselves.

"Town Hall Meeting"



Tasha-Laqua-Lafrita-Quita-Rita Martinez-Chang
(Cassandra) reports live from the town hall meeting.

Kayla plays a local politician lobbying for a law that
would make cell phones illegal for anyone under the age of 18.

These guys aren't buying it!
(from L to R: Esta, Aless, Sam, Gus & Moises)

Grandma (Lina) goes into a tizzy when someone explains "sexting."

If you'd like to see more super-cool photos of this event, please visit TAP's flickr page: http://www.flickr.com/photos/theatreactionproject/sets/72157624489734838/




Stay tuned for info about auditions for our 2010-2011 ensemble!