Sderot Community Theatre
The Sderot Media Center has set an important objective for itself to expose the human dimension of terror. The purpose of the project is to let the audience share, listen and absorb the real life experiences of the “actors”. The show obscures the lines between the performing arts and real life story telling. The theatre company performs in Hebrew and English all over Israel and in Jewish communities around the world.
The Sderot Media Center is in touch with children’s fear, because the center is situated in the center of Sderot. As it is the only media center in the region, it effectively expresses the rockets’ influence on both the young and adults. The involvement of the center with the victims facilitates their understanding the needs of the residents that have been victimized both financial and psychologically. This venture is part of a series of projects that the center has initiated. The projects include creative writing competitions on the subject of terror and a therapeutic theatre for the children of Sderot that performed both in Boston and in New York.
The Participants
Two high schools in Sderot that are part of the Amit network take part in this project. Each group is made up of twenty girls handpicked by Mrs. Debbie Gross, a professional psychologist who has a specialty in trauma. One of the high schools performs in Hebrew and the other performs in English.
Location
The sessions will be situated in each school’s campus in the area designated by the administration. The rehearsals will take place in a suitable area, once a week, for an hour and a half each time.
Goal Definition
- All sessions, including treatment sessions, will be led by psychologist Debbie Gross. The sessions will include: re-enacting the event, processing, guided imagery and more.
- Writing the play for each of the two groups based upon information gathered from the sessions.
- Translating the play into English.
- Rehearsals.
Goal Definition – Production
- Video and still photography of the sessions.
- News articles documenting the process for PR and fundraising purposes, according to the discretion of the producer.
Meeting and Goal Planning
- Various traumatic experiences of the group members will be raised during these sessions and will be processed by the psychologist (another professional specializing in psychodrama).
- All sessions will be filmed on video and when traumatic scenes arise, stills will be photographed as well.
- A meeting with the psychologist, a therapy professional and the project manager will take place following each session. During these meetings decisions will be taken regarding the continuation of the therapy as well as the optimal method to focus on. This meeting will be videotaped.
February-March
Initial stage: Writing the play based on an analysis of the experiences that arise.
- The writing will be carried out by the project manager and the therapy professionals until completion.
- Goal: To produce six to seven segments from the daily routine of life in Sderot that will be performed by the students based on the material that arises during the sessions. Such material includes but is not limited to: Dilemmas, conflicts and experiences. Feelings: Loneliness, helplessness, anger, insecurities.
- Translation into English
March-May
Fifteen rehearsals for the show will take place with the assistance of two student interns.
Location: The Center of Performing Arts
Photography: Video and stills
Hours: Flexible
I prefer the following format:
There will be fifteen rehearsals for the show with the assistance of two student interns. The rehearsals will take place at the Center of Performing Arts, accompanied by video and still photography. The schedule will be flexible.
June-July
Performances will take place.
