Sunday, March 10, 2013
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
The transformative power of theater.
Last night I returned to Pomona after being out of town for a week. One word was at the foreground of my thoughts last night, "TRANSFORMATION." So much had transformed while I was away and so much has transformed over the course of this rehearsal process. Last night I saw our beautiful set which all of a sudden has created the "world" of this classroom and placed us in East Los Angeles. The set creates the juxtaposition between the beautiful backdrop of the Los Angeles skyline with the ugly realities faced by the students of Garfield High School. I saw the actors in their costumes and makeup for the first time - suddenly they weren't the young college students I've been working with for the last month but had been transformed into their characters - young and old.
This play is about transformation. It is about a group of young kids who are transformed by their teacher, Jaime Escalante - transformed from kids who are in gangs and don't want to listen to kids who successfully pass the AP Calculus exam and know they can go on to do great things with their lives. I have also seen the power of theater to transform the students who are in this show. I have seen young, shy students who we could barely hear when we began rehearsing transform into the loudest actors we have on stage. I have seen confidence grow in those who, for various reasons, may feel socially outcast. So for those that think theater and the arts don't matter I would say that if someone can find themselves through the process of creating art and think that they deserve to take up space on a stage and deserve to have their voices heard loud and clear - that is no small accomplishment. And if building someone's self confidence keeps them from being self destructive or harming others then actually what we are doing with art is saving lives - just like Jaime Escalante saved lives with math.
It is an honor to get to see the transformations that have taken place with this production and with the students participating in the show. I am very proud of this project and look forward to seeing the show.
This play is about transformation. It is about a group of young kids who are transformed by their teacher, Jaime Escalante - transformed from kids who are in gangs and don't want to listen to kids who successfully pass the AP Calculus exam and know they can go on to do great things with their lives. I have also seen the power of theater to transform the students who are in this show. I have seen young, shy students who we could barely hear when we began rehearsing transform into the loudest actors we have on stage. I have seen confidence grow in those who, for various reasons, may feel socially outcast. So for those that think theater and the arts don't matter I would say that if someone can find themselves through the process of creating art and think that they deserve to take up space on a stage and deserve to have their voices heard loud and clear - that is no small accomplishment. And if building someone's self confidence keeps them from being self destructive or harming others then actually what we are doing with art is saving lives - just like Jaime Escalante saved lives with math.
It is an honor to get to see the transformations that have taken place with this production and with the students participating in the show. I am very proud of this project and look forward to seeing the show.
Monday, March 4, 2013
Saturday, March 2, 2013
Exciting news! Original Stand and Deliver Cast Members!
25th Anniversary Production of Stand and Deliver at Pomona College, March 7-10
Stand and Deliver, directed by Ramon Menendez and written by Ramon Menendez and Tom Musca, premiered in 1988 and turned the true story of Jaime Escalante and Garfield High School into one of the great modern urban legends of our time. The film also garnered an Academy Award Nomination for one of the most distinguished actors of our time, Edward James Olmos.
To honor and celebrate this iconic film, Pomona College Department of Theatre and Dance will be presenting the staged adaption of Stand and Deliver, directed by Alma Martinez, March 7 – 10.
The March 9th performance will proudly host original cast members from the film.
To reserve tickets contact the Seaver Theatre Box Office at 909.607.4375.
Don't miss this extraordinary theatre event! See you there!
Alma Martinez
Thursday, February 21, 2013
The students' sacrifice.
In the play, Stand and Deliver, we see the sacrifice of Jaime Escalante's students who took extra time out of their already busy schedule to prepare for the AP Calculus Exam. Just like those students, the cast and crew of the show are sacrificing their time and energy on top of their already busy college schedules in order to help make this show as spectacular as possible. The rehearsal schedule for the show has been rigorous but students are expected to stay on top of their coursework. I am so impressed by the commitment the students are making to the show - many of whom have never been in a play before and may not have known what they were signing themselves up for. In addition to memorizing their lines, the cast has also had to learn choreography for a number of dance routines in the show. Please come support the cast and celebrate the hard work they have put into the show!!
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Do the math.
This play is about math - but not just in subject, in theme as well. Of course, more obviously the play is about math because it is about Jaime Escalante teaching his students Advanced Calculus. But it is also about the math and numbers of the students' lives in the play. It is about the number of years of hard work and hard labor their parents did so that their kids could have opportunities that they themselves did not have. It is about the number of students who will never graduate from a school like Garfield High School. It is about the number of hours the students will have to work in order to succeed in their challenging math class - on top of the hours that they devote to activities like working in their parents' restaurant. Escalante wants his students to understand his math - and the students want him to understand theirs. Escalante wants the students to respect him and they want him to respect them. Throughout the course of the play, as I am sure was the case in the real life story the play is inspired by, Escalante and the students learn to respect and trust each other. By showing the students that he trusts them enough to do better they become more inclined to do better - better for him but more importantly better for themselves. Come see how the numbers play out in this exciting production at Pomona College.
Saturday, February 16, 2013
Garfield High School
Garfield
High School
Jaime Escalante arrived to teach computer science
at Garfield High School in 1974. There was only one problem. The school had no computers. The equipment had been stolen and there was no money to replace it. Though the school was surrounded by a tall chain link fence to keep students from ditching classes, it had become the local gathering place for neighborhood teenagers, some in gangs, most just just wanting a place to meet and hang out. Past and current students loitered on the lawns, dropouts and kids without jobs flirting, talking, and distracting students from classes. Most students and their teachers saw their classes as
a temporary place to spend time between part time jobs. Many of the teachers had second jobs and spent their time at school promoting their other interests. Nobody arrived early and nobody stayed late.
Jaime Escalante arrived to teach computer science
at Garfield High School in 1974. There was only one problem. The school had no computers. The equipment had been stolen and there was no money to replace it. Though the school was surrounded by a tall chain link fence to keep students from ditching classes, it had become the local gathering place for neighborhood teenagers, some in gangs, most just just wanting a place to meet and hang out. Past and current students loitered on the lawns, dropouts and kids without jobs flirting, talking, and distracting students from classes. Most students and their teachers saw their classes as
a temporary place to spend time between part time jobs. Many of the teachers had second jobs and spent their time at school promoting their other interests. Nobody arrived early and nobody stayed late.
Turning
Garfield Around
Hard work and discipline were Escalante’s heart and soul. When Garfield asked him to teach math instead of computer science he agreed. While a tough new school principal cleared out the school yard and instituted rules, Escalante put in place
a set of rules for the students in his classes. The students were lively and accustomed to fooling around in class,skipping homework, and arriving to class late. Escalante had zero tolerance for tardiness, absences, and would banish a student from class if he caught them marking up their textbooks. Missing even one homework assignment was a serious infraction.
Determination +
Discipline +
Hard Work=
The Way to Success
Garfield students came from poor families and few of their parents had graduated or even attended high school. The emphasis for their children was work to help support the family. School was not a priority for many Garfield students and they often worked long hours and arrived at school tired from no sleep.
For someone like Jaime Escalante however, this was no excuse. He had worked hard—twice—for his education and he did not allow his students to use work as an excuse to avoid homework.
He worked to convince students that not only could they learn the Math he was teaching them, but they could excel at it and it could be the key to their future. He convinced the administration to let him teach Calculus and to prepare the students for the Advanced Placement Exam.
Hard work and discipline were Escalante’s heart and soul. When Garfield asked him to teach math instead of computer science he agreed. While a tough new school principal cleared out the school yard and instituted rules, Escalante put in place
a set of rules for the students in his classes. The students were lively and accustomed to fooling around in class,skipping homework, and arriving to class late. Escalante had zero tolerance for tardiness, absences, and would banish a student from class if he caught them marking up their textbooks. Missing even one homework assignment was a serious infraction.
Determination +
Discipline +
Hard Work=
The Way to Success
Garfield students came from poor families and few of their parents had graduated or even attended high school. The emphasis for their children was work to help support the family. School was not a priority for many Garfield students and they often worked long hours and arrived at school tired from no sleep.
For someone like Jaime Escalante however, this was no excuse. He had worked hard—twice—for his education and he did not allow his students to use work as an excuse to avoid homework.
He worked to convince students that not only could they learn the Math he was teaching them, but they could excel at it and it could be the key to their future. He convinced the administration to let him teach Calculus and to prepare the students for the Advanced Placement Exam.
In fact, the school was so bad that the Downtown
administrators of the Los Angeles Unified School
District were discussing taking away Garfield’s
accreditation and closing the school.
Who was
Jaime Escalante?
Escalante was an immigrant from Bolivia. He was an experienced teacher there who had to start all over
with his education when he came to America. He spent years working as a janitor and a busboy to support his family while he learned English and then worked on earning his undergraduate degree and his teaching credential. Hard work was something he was used to: in Bolivia he had worked three teaching jobs at the same time, teaching days, nights, and often on weekends.
Jaime Escalante?
Escalante was an immigrant from Bolivia. He was an experienced teacher there who had to start all over
with his education when he came to America. He spent years working as a janitor and a busboy to support his family while he learned English and then worked on earning his undergraduate degree and his teaching credential. Hard work was something he was used to: in Bolivia he had worked three teaching jobs at the same time, teaching days, nights, and often on weekends.
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