HELLENIC THEATRE/DRAMA & EDUCATION NETWORK (TENei-Gr)
WORKSHOP FOR STUDENTS
“One Well, One World: Re-membering our Sacred Connection to Water”
A pre-Athens Conference 2025 event
THURSDAY 20/3/2025, 09.30-11.30 at Music School Pallini, Athens, Greece
Philip Valle, Lecturer - Department of Theatre and Dance, California Polytechnic State University, USA
Phyllis Wong, Lecturer - Department of Theatre and Dance, California Polytechnic State University, USA
Jenna Brock, Research and Teaching Assistant - California Polytechnic State University, USA
This drama workshop invites participants to explore the connections between the garments we buy, the people who make them, and consumer impact on water and global climate.
Our drama workshop is a two-part exploration.
The first part explores our purchasing habits, personal gifting, and climate justice.
The second part explores the garment industry, its impact upon the people who produce clothing and global renewable resources.
Through various drama and movement activities, participants will gain a deeper understanding of how their fashion choices connect to workers in the garment industry and, more broadly, how consumerism is linked to industrial pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.
The workshop encourages participants to "re-member" their sacred relationship with water and begin practicing more mindful, ethical engagement with the earth's resources.
Facilitators
Philip Valle teaches courses in Theatre History, Playwriting and Directing for the Department of Theatre and Dance at California Polytechnic State University, USA. He received his MFA in Theatre for Youth from Arizona State University. In 2020, he received the Outstanding Faculty Award from the Honors College, where he developed a course in Creativity. His original theatrical works, performed in the United States, Canada and Mexico, are inspired by the history of social justice, from the civil rights movement to the anarchic rise of rock and roll. Recent productions of his plays pool ’63, Refried Elvis and the immersive play Ghost Ship received numerous national awards, including Outstanding Production of a Devised Work and Outstanding Theatrical Creation from The Kennedy Center. In 2019, Mr. Valle presented his research in the "Cognitive Science of Creativity" at Queen’s University – Belfast, Northern Ireland. In 2022, Mr. Valle joined collaborators in Mumbai India for an ongoing devised theatrical/film project addressing global Climate Justice and the fashion industry entitled The Bombay Runway. Mr. Valle is the co-founder of The Staging Change Project, an outreach program that addresses Climate Science by providing transformative performing arts curriculum to thousands of students across central California.
Phyllis Wong is an educator, community builder, and storyteller, teaching Introduction to Theatre, Theatre History I & II, and Theatre for Young Audiences at California Polytechnic State University, USA. Holding a Ph.D. in Theatre for Youth from Arizona State University, she integrates her passion for applied theatre, and civic dialogue in her classes. Dr. Wong is drawn to stories from the margins and believes in the power of theatre to foster connection and societal engagement. She is a skilled facilitator and public speaker with rich experience in community outreach and engagement. Her previous courses include Theatre for Social Change, Improvisation, and Methods in Teaching Drama. Dr. Wong, co-founder of The Staging Change Project, has received multiple grants and scholarships, including the prestigious Ernst and Irmgard Moller Dissertation Scholarship and Cal Poly’s Summer Undergraduate Research Program Grants. Dr. Wong has presented her work at conferences like the International Drama and Education Association and the American Alliance for Theatre and Education. She most recently wrote, directed and toured a show surrounding the topic of fast fashion and climate change. Above all, she is a mother and lifelong learner, with her husband and two children taking center stage in her life.
Jenna Brock is a dedicated theater educator and community builder, currently pursuing her degree in Theatre Arts at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, USA. Focused on integrating arts education with environmental and social justice, Jenna has developed and managed numerous innovative projects. Her recent work includes producing and directing "Loose Threads: An Original Musical," which educates children about sustainability and environmental justice, supported by a grant from the Summer Undergraduate Research Program (CPSLO). As the founder of SLO.Underground, Jenna has established a successful media platform promoting local community events and live music. Her exceptional stage management skills earned her the Kennedy Center Certificate of Merit at Cal Poly. In addition to her practical experience, Jenna serves as a Teaching Assistant for Introduction to Theater with Dr. Wong and Philip Valle, delivering guest lectures and facilitating a tri-annual Theatre Expo. Previously, she was a Student Leader at Encore South Bay, where she assisted in over 40 theater productions, educating and mentoring more than 1,000 youth and adult performers. Jenna's dedication to community engagement, arts education, and storytelling makes her a dynamic force in the theater arts, committed to fostering connection and societal engagement through the power of the arts.
| Action Category | |
| Year | |
| Cities | |
| Facilitators | - Valle Philip
- Wong Phyllis
- Brock Jenna
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| Σχολεία | - Πειραματικό Μουσικό Γυμνάσιο Παλλήνης
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