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MANOA PROJECTThe Manoa Project Teen Playwriting Competition and Ensemble Apprenticeship is an educationally based opportunity for young people around New Mexico to participate in a statewide playwriting competition and a summer-long theater-training institute. In addition to providing an outstanding learning opportunity for students ages 14-18, the Manoa Project is a community based outreach program which aims to connect young artists with audiences from Albuquerque, nearby surrounding towns and throughout the state. Conceived of and run by Tricklock Company in partnership with the National Hispanic Cultural Center and Albuquerque Academy, the Manoa Project first selects a winning play and one or two alternate plays, all of which are eventually produced and staged with students from the intensive summer training program. Once selected, the winning plays go into a workshop phase wherein the young playwrights do intensive rewrites of their new work under the guidance of a professional playwriting mentor from the University of New Mexico and/or the professional writing world at large. Phase two, the summer program, commences with the casting of 20-25 high school students, forming the Manoa Ensemble. Students participate in actor training 5 days a week (6+ hours per day) for 7 weeks. The training program culminates in a fully produced performance of the winning play, as well as staged readings of the alternate scripts and a work demonstration of original pieces developed by the Manoa Ensemble over the course of the summer. Trainings include basic acting skills, ensemble building, vocal training, acrobatics, clowning, circus skills, improvisation, solo work creation and a variety of physical theatre styles. Each summer one or two guest artists are invited into trainings for special workshops. The production of the winning play then tours to one or more locations within the state to allow participants a chance to share their talents and ideas with the diverse communities of New Mexico. Following the shows, performers spend time in informal dialog with audience. This allows students and audience members time to discuss the themes of the show and the impact of the work on the audience and performers alike. It is Tricklock's belief that theatrical study is neither academic nor a luxury. It is a social and simultaneously individual, physical and imaginative exploration into a community's potential to make a better world. Only through immersion in the intensity and devotion required to create moving, challenging and transformative theatre will students want to take further steps toward developing a life in the performing arts. The Manoa Project is one aspect of Tricklock's commitment to the belief that performing arts can improve lives and communities. |
Manoa Project is co-sponsored by the National Hispanic Cultural Center |
