Through a collaborative partnership with the Guadalupe-Parkway Neighborhood Sommerville Centers, Theatre & Dance graduate students and faculty are discovering that the greatest learning and most magical experiences are not always in the classroom, but often in the community.
The partnership between Texas Tech and Guadalupe-Parkway’s Better Life program aims to serve the Lubbock youth and welcomes students from elementary through high school.
What began as a traditional classroom-style learning experience with improv games and theatre lessons has evolved into a more collaborative project that culminates in the creation of a short 10-minute play for the Lubbock City Limitless Gala.
Dr. Andrew Gibb, Assistant Dean of the J.T. & Margaret Talkington College of Visual & Performing Arts and Associate Professor for the School of Theatre & Dance, believes the motivating factor behind this partnership is a desire to make lasting connections within the Lubbock community:
“Working with these students, as they make their way through school, allows us to be there when it’s time for them to decide if they want to pursue higher education, hopefully with us.”
According to Dela Esqueda, Chief Executive Officer at Guadalupe-Parkway, the impact for the students is based on their desired career paths and there is a special declaration they adhere to: “That declaration is personal and empowering to all Better Life participants.”
For the graduate students who are leading the charge, this partnership is an incredible lesson in collaboration and community-building.
Justin Santos, a theatre graduate student in Performance & Pedagogy, expresses that his goal is to encourage students participating in this program to explore careers within the arts while they learn valuable life skills such as creative problem solving and conflict resolution:
“Personally, for me, theatre is a chance to communicate, collaborate, and express yourself. I believe sharing that is the best thing I could do to build the community up.”
Fellow theatre graduate student, Rianna Lester, echoes that sentiment. “The goal is to see these kids shine in their spotlight. I just want to see them grow.”
Under the guidance of Santos and Lester, the creative process is entirely student-driven, encouraging the participants at Guadalupe-Parkway to create a 10-minute play from scratch.
It starts with a brainstorming session.
Students share their perspectives of the Better Life program as not only a safe space to share ideas, but also an environment that teaches valuable skills while providing mentorship and resources to empower students to make good decisions.
Taking those ideas, Santos and Lester create a rough draft script then present it to the students for collaborative alterations, ensuring every line matches their individual voices. Once completed, rehearsals for the Gala performance officially begin.
While incredibly rewarding, the path isn’t without its obstacles.
Meeting every two weeks, the biggest challenge the team faces is a lack of rehearsal time. However, this also serves as a unique opportunity for the graduate students, teaching them resilience and instilling within them with skills in adaptability and efficient time management.
Santos hopes to expand the program even further by potentially giving students hands-on experience with aspects of technical theatre such as lighting design or exploring camera operation and short films.
Between the hustle and bustle of rehearsals, the actual reward of the program lies in the unexpected moments of inspiration and excitement that we often overlook in our daily lives.
Dr. Gibb recalls a favorite memory of a student who was initially hesitant to participate but once she did, everything fell into place: “She loved it and as she was leaving, said ‘I’ve never done anything like that before!’”
For more information regarding tickets to the Lubbock City Limitless Gala or donations to the center, please visit the Guadalupe-Parkway Neighborhood Sommerville Centers website.