The Summer Mixtape course provides Black students with an exciting opportunity to experience the world of theatre creation from the inside.
APPLY TO THE SUMMER MIXTAPEWho Should Apply
You should apply if you are a Black student, residing in Ontario, who will be enrolled in any of Grades 10, 11, or 12 in September 2022, or will be enrolled in post-secondary studies in September 2022, and you are interested in the performing arts and in expressing yourself creatively. You are also keen to explore Black Canadian history.
What IS THE SUMMER MIXTAPE
Developed in partnership with the Lifelong Leadership Institute, the Summer Mixtape course provides Black students with an exciting opportunity to experience the world of theatre creation from the inside. Happening in-person at Soulpepper Theatre this summer, this course will help participants grow and reinforce a sense of community after a difficult period of social isolation. Students will be invited to draw back the curtains and dive into storytelling and playwriting, collaborative creation, live performance, and more. All of this will be done by harnessing the power of theatre to tell stories rooted in both Canadian Black history and the present. Once the program is completed, participants will be sent off with a new creative toolkit as well as information about where to put it to use, inside and outside the classroom.
Soulpepper Theatre’s Black Youth Theatre Intensive is an accessible and inclusive course designed for participants both with and without prior theatre experience. It will be led by artist instructors who will introduce participants to their respective areas of expertise. In addition to training offered by the artist instructors, participants are paired with mentors for additional personalized support and feedback in small groups of two or three.
The curriculum will include:
Workshops:
Some of last year's workshops included:
- Connecting to Our Ancestors Through Dance
- Spoken Word
- Creation in Historical Contexts
- Innovation in Design
Projects written and performed by students:
Some of last year's projects included:
- In Make Your Own Podcast, students selected a specific Ontario city and created festivities for the city (parades, marching bands, speeches, etc.) to celebrate Emancipation Day and educate the public about its significance.
- In Black in Time News, students created a newscast segment about a historical figure, event, or landmark for the hottest new midday news program. They wrote fictional stories about their subjects.
- In Being Black in Canada, students were prompted with the questions: “What does it mean to you to be Black in Canada? What is Black Canadian history, and what is its future?”. They responded by creating original monologues, poems, rap verses, drawings, journal entries, acceptance speeches, movement pieces, and interpretive dance numbers.
Why this Matters
For some, this program may be an early start, a pathway to a career in theatre and performance. A mixture of participants who may or may not have prior experience in theatre will allow for peer-to-peer skill sharing. Moreover, having Black representation in theatre is one way for ensuring that Black stories and history are preserved, and this is empowering to the community and enriching to the still-growing culture of Canadian theatre.
The experience PROVIDES:
- Development of a new cohort of Black Canadian artists ready to share their talents with the world
- Workshops in storytelling, theatre creation, songwriting, playwriting
- Workshops on Ontario Black History with connections made to the present and future
- Facilitation by Black Artist Educators
- A mentorship program.
- Laying the foundation of creation and performance leading to the creation of new original work and a final performance open to the public.
- Providing a dedicated space for Black youth to have their voices heard
- Guidance regarding pathways for careers in the theatre
- Intergenerational knowledge production and connection through engaging the families of participants
Admission Details
Who:
You are a Black student, residing in Ontario, who will be enrolled in any of Grades 10, 11, or 12 in September 2022, or will be enrolled in post-secondary studies in September 2022. In addition, you are interested in the performing arts and in expressing yourself creatively. You are keen to explore Black Canadian history and are totally committed to attending all in-person classes.
Admissions Process:
All eligible applicants will be considered for admission. Refer to application deadlines at https://llileaders.com/summerup/. Eligible applicants will be required to attend an orientation session.
Program Dates:
The program will be in-person, over a span of six weeks starting Tuesday, July 12 and ending Thursday, August 18, 2022. Classes will commence at 10:00 a.m. and end at 4:00 p.m. A one-hour lunch break will be provided.
Noted below are the dates this course will meet. Before submitting an application, candidates must ensure they can attend all the scheduled classes.
Week 1: Tuesday, July 12; Wednesday, July 13 (10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.)
Week 2: Tuesday, July 19; Wednesday, July 20 (10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.)
Week 3: Tuesday, July 26; Wednesday, July 27 (10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.)
Week 4: Wednesday, August 3; Thursday, August 4 (10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.)
Week 5: Tuesday, August 9; Wednesday, August 10 (10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.)
Week 6: Wednesday, August 17; Thursday, August 18 (10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.)
Program Location:
This in-person course will be delivered at the Young Centre for the Performing Arts (50 Tank House Lane) Distillery District, Toronto. The site is accessible by TTC.
Health & Safety: Since this course will be delivered in-person, certain COVID-19 protocols will apply. Admitted students must show proof of being fully vaccinated and must be prepared to wear masks when required to do so. Note: This course is delivered in-person. An online version will not be available.
Illustration by: Ngabo Nabea
For further information please contact Soulpepper Education at education@soulpepper.ca