The production of “Getting Ready for Tomorrow” showcased local teens and youths who have been working with the Caribbean Museum Center for the Arts’ Artist-In-Residence Selentia Moore. On Saturday, June 29, the budding actors presented the transformative theater sessions they learned under the direction of Moore during the month of June.
The participants learned the importance of making choices, exploring social issues, and offering expressions on being a positive contributor to a global society. Nine youths ages 7-12 met Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Five teens ages 13-17 met Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Moore brought her background in theater to the sessions. “I was fortunate to matriculate at the prestigious Brandeis University as the only African American Theater Arts graduate in 1991. I graduated with honors in theater,” she said.
Moore works in Atlanta, GA as a theater practitioner with her organization, The Big Dreams Project. Since 2003, the project has trained youth ages 5-18 in acting, dance, creative writing, instrumental music, spoken word and the visual arts.
“Our art program focuses on character development with the individual becoming a positive asset to a global society. Exposure is everything at the Big Dreams Project. We have performed on several national and local television platforms, including Good Morning America and live onstage at Disney World,” Moore told the Source.
Parents of the performers and local community members filled the courtyard at the production.
“The youths presented a one-act adaptation of Grace Bradford’s timeless classic children’s play, “Getting Ready for Tomorrow!” Through creative movement and acting, the children were inspired to make good choices in spite of other influences. They showed up and showed out in their performance,” CMCARTS Education Coordinator Jessica Parker White said.
“The teens presented a confident prelude from the song titled “I Am Building Something,” by Eboni Gibson. They displayed stage presence and public speaking with points of interest through acting that they, themselves, created in their sessions. Their contribution was on point,” Parker White added.
Moore’s introduction to and interaction with the local youths and teens was “very enlightening and exposed me to the commonality of children in different spaces, as far as exposure to the arts is concerned, and how important it is to their character development and self-esteem.”
Working with young people for over 30 years gives Moore a clear view of how their creativity and their drive are often enhanced through the arts. “I can see the similarities in different places and different cities where the need is the same, basically.”
“We have to do better all over the world in understanding the importance of the creative of the person to the human spirit…and that begins as a young child,” Moore said.
The children were very excited in their acceptance of Moore as their mentor, she said. “You know children are only going to be as excited as you are. They feed from the teacher’s and director’s energy. It’s very important that the energy is positive, fun-loving, and caring. We know that children want to be loved. They want to be accepted.”
Moore could tell the teens were “typical teens” who needed her to take time to get to know them and really build a bond, a relationship to gain their trust to let her in, she said.
“My biggest thing with the teens was for them to have consistent opportunities to express their creativity with people – with the same people consistently. I could see the need for confidence building. The character of these teens is incredible. The first day, I focused my teaching toward confidence building through theater, through public speaking, and through self-expression,” Moore said.
Moore saw them evolve, she said. On the morning of the performance, she made sure the focus was on these exact words, “It’s not how you start; it’s how you finish.”
“I wanted them to know the importance of making it until the end – in what they started. And…doing it in a way that they could identify the areas of growth that would definitely be onstage,” Moore told the Source.
“When it was all over, I thought about how extraordinarily talented these children are. I’ve been teaching theater across the globe for almost 40 years, and I could see that these youths and teens have talent that is untouched…talent they themselves don’t know they have.”
Moore sees in each and every one of our local children the possibility of not just one but all of them becoming public speakers, actors, singers, writers, doctors, teachers, community activists, whatever…whatever they decide to be in life, she said.
“I am really committed to building relationships that will cause me to be effective through consistency with children,” Moore shared.
“It is my hope that, at some point, I can return to the island as a teacher, director, who would share with them on a consistent basis,” Moore said.
For more information:
cmcarts.org
