March 20, 2013

Eighth-graders at Wilmette Junior High, however, are learning to say and respond to not only "yes" but, "yes and?"

In eight improv classes, funded by a District 39 Educational Foundation and an Illinois Arts Council grant, The Wilmette Theatre's Actors Training Center paired up with WJH drama teacher Dinah Barthelmess to teach three eighth-grade acting classes the art of improvisational acting in a program called "Say Yes to Improv."

Improv is built upon the idea that actors say yes to whatever their partner throws at them in order build a scene.

"We've learned to work with each other and to say, 'yes and' to scenes and build relationships between people," Gabe Isaacson, 13, said.

At the end of the three-week period, the students gave an "in-formance," or an informative performance, during their regular class periods Friday, March 15, to parents and select art classes.

The audience watched as the 30 students played improv games they've learned, while ATC Associate Director Philip Markle coached the students off stage.

"I think they did super. I think they really stepped it up," Barthelmess said.

After both the actors and the audience warmed up and got a shot of adrenaline, the students went right into their games.

A small group of students would play each game, while the other actors sat and watched on stage. The students had nothing prepared ahead of time, so much so that Markle took suggestions from the audience, threw the idea into the scene and the students would have to go with it.

"I think it went really well," Yvonne Ajwa, 13, said. "We've all progressed as actors since the first time we all met."

Markle echoed this idea of growth, stating that although many of the students were hesitant at the start of the class series, just by doing the performance on March 13 showed they were willing to take risks with and in front of their peers.

"[The instructors] just really helped us getting our energy up and made us comfortable with the idea of improv," Ajwa said.

Barthelmess emphasized that learning to do improv teaches the students skills such as risk taking, empathy, persistence and communication, which are essential throughout life.

"We know that we are preparing our kids for jobs and success in an ever-changing world," Barthelmess said. 

Markle is especially excited to teach to 13-year-olds because it's a time in their life when they are grappling with the "cool factor," and deciding to take risks.

"Eighth grade is that crucial time when you can change a person's life," Markle said.

"Once they hit high school it's sort of set in."

The students impressed Markle, who described them as smart and tough questioners.

"I was blown away by their maturity and understanding of concepts," Markle said.

And although in improv the foundation is to say yes to everything, Markle had to make sure the students kept their material appropriate for a school setting.

Markle explained that getting laughs shouldn't be done cheaply, and that the students are responsible for the audience and having them watch a funny, yet creative scene. 

"By talking to the kids intelligently, like adults, they step up to the plate," Markle said.

At the end of the in-formance the students gave examples to the audience of what they learned such as confidence, silliness and there's nothing wrong with making mistakes.