Perseverance Theatre Educational Production
BRAINSTORM
A Devised Theatre Show
By Ned Glasier and Emily Lim
Directed by Kylie Ferguson
Show Description:
Inside every adolescent brain, 86 billion neurons connect and collide, driving some of the most frustrating, chaotic, and exhilarating changes in the human body. Brainstorm is a theatrical investigation into how teenage brains work and why they have evolved to work the way they do.
Developed in collaboration with neuroscientists Professor Sarah-Jayne Blakemore and Dr. Kate Mills, alongside a group of teenagers, Brainstorm provides a framework for a company of teenagers to devise and perform their own version of the play, drawing directly on their personal experiences, ideas, and perspectives.
Schedule:
Auditions: Sunday, January 31st, 2 - 5pm
Callbacks: Monday, February 1st, 6 - 8pm
Rehearsals: March 8th - April 15th
Performances: April 16th & 17th
See full schedule HERE
Cost:
Participation will include a fee of $75. This helps cover production costs such as the licensing fee, scripts, props, snacks and other needs.
Scholarships are available! Please reach out to kferguson@ptalaska.org.
Auditions:
Students ages 12-19 are invited to audition for Brainstorm, which will be performed in the Phoenix Space at Perseverance Theatre. No previous theatre experience is required, just a willingness to play, create, and take risks.
We are looking to cast 6-13 Juneau-based students to help bring this exciting new creation to life!
Sign up for an audition slot HERE
What to Prepare:
Please prepare a 2-3 minute story about your experience as a teenager. Your story can be silly, dramatic, mysterious, awkward, joyful, anything that feels true to you! We’re looking for a cast of young people who are brave, creative, curious, and willing to be vulnerable on stage.
Callbacks:
Students invited to callbacks will work together to devise, problem-solve, and create together through collaborative exercises that explore aspects of performance. Invited students and guardians will all be asked to arrive at 6pm for a brief 15 Information Meeting / Q&A about the show.
Can’t Make the Audition?
Students who are unable to attend the scheduled audition are welcome to submit a self-tape to kferguson@ptalaska.org by Sunday January 31st, at 5:00 PM.
Come tell us your story. We can’t wait to meet you!
QUESTIONS:
What Is Devised Theatre?
Devised theatre is one of the most collaborative and exciting ways to create theatre. Rather than starting with a finished script, an ensemble creates a performance from real-life experiences, feelings, ideas, questions, and source material.
Through improvisation, movement, writing, media, experimentation, and collective intuition, the ensemble generates and shapes the material together. Everyone contributes to the creative process and shares responsibility for making decisions about every aspect of the show, from its story and structure to its characters, design, and performance style. Brainstorm provides the blueprint for shaping the show, and the ensemble provides the rest!
Why an Information Meeting for Guardians and Students During Callbacks?
Brainstorm explores the development of the teenage brain, including the growing desire for independence, the changing dynamics between teenagers and their guardians, and the challenges and tensions that can arise within those relationships.
The information meeting will provide an opportunity to learn more about the themes and material that may come up during rehearsals and performances. We’ll also discuss the collaborative nature of the project and the ways guardians may be asked to participate in the creative process.
Because Brainstorm draws from the real experiences of its young performers, a guardian may even become part of the play as a “character” or be represented through material developed during the rehearsal process.
Our goal is to make sure both students and guardians understand the creative process, feel comfortable with the material, and know what participation in the project may involve.
If you are unable to attend this meeting, please email kferguson@ptalaska.org so that an alternative time can be arranged to answer any questions and ensure you have all the information needed about participation in Brainstorm.
Additional Questions?
Reach out to kferguson@ptalaska.org
BRAINSTORM is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Dramatists Play Service.