Information for Educators

Transcription

1 Information for Educators Summary of the Show: N*GGER WETB*CK CH*NK (or N*W*C) is a 90- minute stage show that tells the real- life stories of three young men from different ethnic backgrounds to deconstruct notions of race in contemporary American culture. Drama, hip hop, slam poetry, and stand- up comedy are intermingled to communicate the show s overall message: There s only one race: the human race. The three original cast members and co- creators met and became best friends while in community college. The show was developed after they transferred to UCLA - largely in response to challenges they faced as performers of color. Before they graduated, the show had a six week professional run in Los Angeles which was followed by a seven year national tour. N*W*C, as it is often called, has been performed on more than 150 college campuses and was a featured performance at the 2007 National Conference on Race and Ethnicity. A post show Q&A session with the cast will be held immediately following the performance. Show Themes and Topics: Ethnic Identity: Early childhood experiences of first discovering ethnic classifications Accusations of talking white Perceptions of Asian- Americans as the model minority Emasculation of the Asian- American male Machismo expectations for Latino males Perception of African American males as being threatening/violent Assimilation strategies and passing Cultural appreciation and pride Stereotyping and the Impact of Stereotypes: Inherent nature of stereotypes Origin of racial stereotyping Fear of rioting by minority groups Immigration: Living illegally in the United States Immigrants taking jobs away from other groups of people Contributions of immigrants to the US culture and economy Impact of illegal immigration on young children brought into the country by their parents

2 Media Representation: Lack of representation of minorities Misrepresentation of minorities Effect of the media s representation of minorities on young children Language/Racial Slurs: The power of language The prevalence of hate speech The origins of the words nigger, wetback, and chink How the context in which we use language can vastly alter its meaning Web Resources: Project Website New York Times Feature Article Los Angeles Times Review nwc9 National Hispanic Media Coalition Interview

3 N*W*C Discussion Questions, Activities and Assignments State of California Grades 9-12 Language advisory: this show contains significant usage of the three racial slurs in the title (N*GGER WETB*CK CH*NK). As a major focus of the play, the use of the words in educational, media and personal settings is discussed throughout the performance. A few carefully placed additional swear words are also used during the performance. Discussion and/or reflective writing prompts for students who have attended a performance of N*W*C: Is it ever appropriate to use the words that constitute the title of this show? Do you think people of other ages, ethnicities, or from other parts of the country or world would answer the previous question differently than you? Why? What was the impact of those words on each of the main characters (Rafa, Jackson and Dion)? These words are not the only ones of this kind in our culture, or in other cultures. Why do you think words like these are created and used within a society? The characters in the show describe the moment in their childhood when they first realized they are not white in the eyes of others. What are some of the ways people outside the play discover their own ethnic or cultural identity? Rafa describes feeling a strong childhood sense of identity as an American despite the fact that he was undocumented in this country. What experiences challenge that identity? Jackson is bullied by students in Atlanta because he does not speak and dress in an expected way. In what ways does he adapt his personal expression to better fit in? How are those changes perceived when he moves back to Los Angeles? This is not a traditional play in the sense that the performers portrayed themselves (at a variety of ages) as well as multiple other characters. Were you able to keep track of all these characters throughout the performance? What techniques were used to help the audience differentiate among the multiple characters? Humor is used throughout this performance in a number of different ways even though some very serious issues are discussed. Why do you think the creators of the show chose to use so much humor? In what ways was it effective? Did you find any of it to be ineffective? The play argues that, There is only one race the human race. Do you agree? Do you think the authors intended that more as a statement of fact, or a philosophy they would like to see in the world?

4 Class Activity inspired by N*W*C: LIST GAME Requirements: Video projection ability and Internet. Students need: Paper and a pencil. Time: Approximately 40 minutes for a group of 20 students. One of the most controversial (and popular) scenes in N*W*C is called List Game. In this scene the performers list stereotypes that are commonly associated with people of their cultural background by theme (such as foods, jobs, and means of transportation). Show the following two- minute List Game scene to the class. It is available at: Note: You can stop the clip at 1:57 if you feel the big penis lines are not appropriate for your class. Write this definition of a stereotype on the board for students to consider. Stereotype: an idea or image that many people hold of a particular type of person, but which is often not true in reality. Ask students to choose an aspect of their identity for which others may hold stereotypical beliefs. This could include age, ability, sexual identity, religious belief, club membership or hobby, or of course cultural or ethnic identity. Students should then be prompted to write one or two stereotypes that others might hold about them for each item in the following list. The instructor will read each out loud and wait about 30 seconds to one minute before moving on. If students don t have a response they may skip that item. 1. Foods 2. Clothing 3. Way of speaking 4. Careers 5. Type of pet 6. Hairstyle After the writing portion, put students in groups of 3-4 and ask them to compare their results and then create a short list game performance of their own for three of the listed categories. It should include saying the phrase list game together at the start and acting out the stereotypes once category at a time. Note: it may be helpful to review the video again at this time as a model for their performances. Students will need about 15 minutes to discuss and prepare their short scenes. Class performances will take about 5 minutes. After all groups have performed, ask the students to reflect in a class discussion about how it felt to perform their stereotypes. Did any students find it difficult to share? Did any find the exercise empowering?

5 Journal Assignment in Response to N*W*C: The authors of this play created the show through a process that involved writing journal- style narratives about their experiences. They met weekly to agree on a theme and then split up to write highly personal stories in the selected theme in as much detail as they could remember. Replicate the first four writing assignments that the creators of N*W*C used to create their show by writing four journal entries of approximately 2-3 pages each. Each should take the form of a story. Each prompt asks about a moment of personal realization or discovery. This should be the climax of your story. Start your story before that moment, and walk us through key events that led up to it. Add details to give dimension to the characters, setting, and emotions of the story. End with a short conclusion about how your life changed after that moment. The Four Writing Assignments: 1) When was the first time you remember feeling different than people around you, like an other? 2) Did you ever do anything to try and fit in; to be like everyone else? 3) When was the first time you realize you had an ethnic identity? 4) Do you feel like you are represented in media (ie. film, TV)? Why or why not? These entries could be assigned over a period of days or weeks and should conclude with sharing the stories out loud in small groups. Activities were designed to assist in meeting expectations content standards of the California State Board of Education ( including: California Content Standards for Visual And Performing Arts 1.0 ARTISTIC PERCEPTION 4.0 AESTHETIC VALUING/Responding to, Analyzing, and Critiquing Theatrical Experiences 5.0 CONNECTIONS, RELATIONSHIPS, APPLICATIONS Guiding Principles of the Arts Content Standards: Learning through active practice, rehearsal, and creation or performance of works in the arts / Reflecting on the arts in thoughtful essay or journal writing on one s observations, feelings, and ideas about the arts / Participating in arts criticism on the basis of observation, knowledge, and criteria California Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts Stated goals for all students: They come to understand other perspectives and cultures. Students appreciate that the twenty- first- century classroom and workplace are settings in which people from often widely divergent cultures and who represent diverse experiences and perspectives must learn and work together. Students actively seek to understand other perspectives and cultures through reading and listening. Questions and comments are welcome. Contact Speak Theater Arts at info@speaktheaterarts.com.