<["Huh!"]
>>IT BEGINS WITH A FREEZE…TO RAISE AWARENESS.
>>THEN...
["Huh!"]
>>...CULTURAL CONVERSATIONS IS UNDERWAY.
>>BUT IT’S MUCH MORE THAN A WEEKLONG NEW
WORKS FESTIVAL.
[nat of body language practice]
>>IT’S A CHANCE TO SHOWCASE A PROGRAM CALLED
BODY LANGUAGE WHERE THIS YEAR, AREA YOUTH—FROM
MIDDLE SCHOOL THROUGH COLLEGE—GAVE COMPLETE
STRANGERS A GLIMPSE INTO THEIR STRUGGLES…
[Girl: "And when she walks by she says, 'Move
it you cow!' or 'You're such a pig!'"]
>>AND EMPOWERED THOSE STRANGERS TO HELP THEIR
COMMUNITIES STOP THE VIOLENCE AND START THE
CONVERSATION ABOUT BULLYING AND BEING BULLIED,
>>Taylor Shook, Body Language Participant:
“I can still remember words that I’ve
been told. I mean, you’re never going to
forget them.”
ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIPS...
[Girl: "A month ago today, I checked into
the shelter."]
>>AND ABOUT RAPE.
[Girl: "Ninety percent of all assaults that
occur, occur by someone that the victim knows."]
>>Mari Avicolli, Penn State Student/Body Language
Participant: “I always think it’s important
to talk about the issues that are on the edge,
in the realm where people don’t talk about
it in every day conversation. Those are always
important conversations to have and to have
them in this space and in this setting with
the intention of respect and healing is always
incredibly powerful.”
>>PENN STATE ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF THEATRE
SUSAN RUSSELL CREATED BODY LANGUAGE AS A TOOL
TO BRIDGE THE COMMUNICATION GAP BETWEEN YOUTH
AND ADULTS WITHIN A COMMUNITY.
>>Susan Russell, Ph.D., Assistant Prof., Penn
State School of Theatre: “The body language
project is a dream come true. Because when
I’m in Giant shopping and a father came
up to me and said, ‘You’re that lady.’
And I said what lady is that? And he said,
‘You’re the lady that did the play and
my wife made me bring our daughter because
she’s in middle school, and my wife heard
about it, and you helped me figure out how
to talk to my 8 year old and I just wanted
to shake your hand.’”
>>FOR RUSSELL, THAT’S A SIGN, HER BRIDGES
ARE BEING BUILT AND HER PROGRAM IS WORKING—EVEN
IN ITS BRIEF EXISTENCE.
>>Susan Russell, Ph.D., Assistant Prof., Penn
State School of Theatre: “What has been
proven over the past two years is that playwriting
and performance can create a new way for kids
to talk to kids and to talk to adults.”
>>Sabrina Bierer, Penn State Student/Body
Language Participant: “…It’s nice to
hear that other people are with you and you’re
not alone and I think that that gives other
people more courage—courage that they didn’t
have before.”
>>Jonathan Smith, Body Language Participant:
“Their words inspired me and made me want
to speak out more because... people are really
hurting and some people are even dying because
of the words that are being spoken.”
[Kids: "Gay!" Drum beat "Freak!" Drum beat]
>>Susan Russell, Ph.D., Assistant Prof., Penn
State School of Theatre: “Conversation is
the word… the word, the word, the word.
That’s what creates cultures. The words
we decide to define ourselves with. What words
are okay and what words no longer define us
as people.”
>>SO EACH YEAR, THROUGH COLLABORATION AND
THE HELP OF HER STUDENTS, RUSSELL WILL CONTINUE
HER MISSION TO BRING PEOPLE TO A PLACE OF
CONVERSATION BY TACKLING THE TOPICS THAT KEEP
PEOPLE COMING BACK FOR MORE.
[Susan: "Have a seat! Now it's your turn!"]
>>Susan Russell, Ph.D., Assistant Prof., Penn
State School of Theatre: “I think our capacity
as citizens to come together in public forums
to discuss our differences is our strongest
humanistic characteristic. We really can sit
in rooms. Sometimes we yell but we can be
civilized.”
[Music]
>>FOR PENN STATE OUTREACH… I’M JAMIE CUROTT.>
