Theater techniqueshelp uncover reactions.
By: Donna Lukiw
A group of English students at Manville High School gathered in a circle Friday, closed their eyes and visualized scenes from the novel, "The Things They Carried," a firsthand account of the Vietnam war by Tim O’Brien.
As Danielle Quisenberry, a teaching artist from American Place Theatre, pointed to the students, they gave their spontaneous thoughts and feelings about the novel with one-word exclamations.
Imagining the sand and dirt, soldiers carrying backpacks and the horrors that come with fighting in a war, the students shared with the rest of the class what first came to their minds after listening to an excerpt read from the novel.
Ms. Quisenberry led the one-hour workshop with the juniors integrating acting, writing and the English curriculum.
The 85 students have been reading and analyzing the novel "The Things They Carried," and were preparing to see the play Monday at the New Brunswick State Theatre performed by an actor from the American Place Theatre.
The students had already written essays on the theme, critiqued the novel and movie and written a creative essay.
"They’re acting like the characters and writing like the characters," English teacher Leslie Strauss said.
During the workshop, the students worked with rhythm and choreography, preparing them for the writing and acting exercises.
As one of the writing and acting exercises, they had to write down their own hopes and dreams, like the veterans did, but now the draft was reinstated and women were now going to combat.
"You have all these hopes and dreams but now you have a draft card in your pocket," Ms. Quisenberry told the students.
The students had to write their feelings on the war in Iraq, as if they were already drafted. Once their thoughts were on paper the students shared their written pieces with the class as if it was happening to them right now.
As the students wrote their sentences on Iraq they also worked on their acting skills with a few exercises involving the entire class.
"You have to learn when to go you can’t just stop in the middle of a scene," 11th-grader Jack Calvo said after his performance. "Both of my parents were in the Army so I understand."
Ms. Strauss the English Honors classes are currently reading Arthur Miller’s "Death of a Salesman" and "The Crucible" and the other English classes are reading "To Kill A Mockingbird" by Harper Lee.
"They really enjoyed Friday’s workshop," Ms. Strauss said. "It gave my more hesitant participants a chance to be silly and have fun while discussing serious subject matter. We finished the novel about three weeks ago and are currently working on research projects."

