Students from the Metropolitan Learning Center Perform EURYDICE

Students from the Metropolitan Learning Center Perform EURYDICE

At this time we have decided to put our Hands On Residency program on pause as we explore new ways to provide access to arts education in our community.

Profile Theatre’s Hands On Residency program was developed to help address the lack of theatre and arts education in our local schools.  The program offered both short term and extended residencies with an experienced teaching artist, to local middle and high schools.  Whether it be over the course of a few hours, or over several months, students explored language and text within the context of performance.  Our curriculum used integrated learning techniques that engaged the mind, body and voice while encouraging collaboration and confidence. Residencies were crafted to address the unique goals of each education partner, whether they culminated in a classroom presentation or a fully produced production with an audience. Teaching materials and scripts were selected based upon our featured playwright and the themes that lay at the heart of their body of work.

MLC Coming Home 1

Metropolitan Learning Center High School
Coming Home by Athol Fugard

What was especially unique about this program was its capacity to introduce students to all aspects of the theatre, including writing, directing, set design and construction, sound design, lighting design and operation, acting and stage management.  By expanding the scope of students participation in theatre making, we aimed to broaden their understanding of collaboration and teamwork, while also engaging students who had varied artistic inclinations, talents and interests.

Hands on Theatre was supported by the Jane Unger Hands on Theatre Fund.  We are grateful to be able to honor the legacy of our founding Artistic Director Jane Unger whose strong belief in education and commitment to bringing theatre arts to Portland youth is a daily inspiration.

Please contact Associate Artistic Director Lauren Bloom Hanover with queries: lauren@profiletheatre.org