From Students to Global Citizens: The Mission of "Stage The Change"
Elizabeth Chirico
On Stage Blog believes that the arts can be a vehicle not just to, but to make a long-lasting impression on performers and the audience for years to come.
With this in mind, we bring to your attention “Stage The Change”, a group out of Long Island who has a similar, yet bolder mantra: to use the arts as a social voice to bring out structural change in our society.
The idea behind Stage the Change (a 501c-3 based out of Long Island) is to harness the power of the arts and to provide high school and college students a mechanism to share their voices, their stories, topics that directly impact them with the greater community. In doing so, the students are transformed into global citizens; people who realize they can have a greater impact on the world around them.
Ruthie Pincus, is an educator of 20+ years with the Hauppuage Public Schools and the founder of Stage the Change. The idea stemmed from her work with her students. She found that when the students had the opportunity to use their voices, to focus on issues important to them and when adults took their ideas seriously the students lit up. Over the years topics have included racism, anti-bullying, LGBTQ+ acceptance, and human rights. Ruthie said, “Particularly now it’s time to get kids ready to be active, to be involved in and shape the world they want to inhabit. Stage the Change brings kids together to help them understand others, and the difference they can make together.”
What started as a series of plays has expanded beyond the school setting. There’s now a fall workshop featuring sessions on theater, dance, and film along with a track for educators. Each participant attends 2 sessions and attends a keynote speaker address. Past keynote speakers have included Gavin Creel and Terrence McNally.
Some of the sessions at their 2019 fall workshop included:
Headlines into Punchlines, which looked at top news headlines and how to present them in unique and hilarious ways through sketches and song.
Videos for Environmental Change which taught participants how to storyboard and develop videos for use on social media to inspire action.
Dance for Every Body the idea that everyone has rhythm regardless of their height, weight, gender and how to appreciate each individual’s unique contributions
Ask Not What Your Theater Department Can Do For You focused on how to grow a theater program to affect change with their staff and students.
The summer ambassador program grew from that fall conference. This 5-day long program provides over 850 students (up from around 80 in 2013!) the opportunity to go more in-depth and provides instruction on how to devise a full-length piece students can take back to their communities and perform.
The works created from the summer programs stem largely from improv and performing. Pieces aren’t just scripts, they can be different types of styles- whatever moves that particular student group at that time. At the conference end, the students are charged with taking their pieces back to their communities! The conference leaders touch base with the attendees throughout the year to help and support the students as they bring their pieces to life and affect change in their areas.
For all the workshops, sessions and notable keynote speakers, Ruthie charges a mere $10 for the fall workshop to keep the participants as diverse and inclusive as possible. The summer program is more expensive but scholarships are offered to encourage and include students from across NYC and Long Island to attend.
Stage the Change alumni have gone onto be passionate, creative voices of change in their communities. Many have chosen career paths allowing them to make a difference such as law, and other socially conscious programs. Many have stated that their work with Stage the Change opened their eyes and led them down different paths in college than they might have otherwise explored. One of the most well-known alumni from Stage the Change is Billy Recce, who is the composer and lyricist for “A Musical about Star Wars”. A piece he developed while a Stage the Change participant focused on religions being more similar than different is still being performed and resonating with current audiences.
The Summer Ambassador Program runs from June 29th to July 3rd and is held in Hauppauge High School in Hauppage NY. Deadline to apply is March 13th.
For more details on the Summer or Fall conference, and to support Stage The Change with a donation, go to http://www.stagethechange.org/donate.html