THE LATINO EXPERIMENTAL FANTASTIC THEATER, INC. The Latino Experimental Fantastic Theater, Inc. was founded in 1994 to raise social and cultural awareness of Latinos in New York City. The Latino Experimental Fantastic Theater produces plays based on Latino and non-Latino issues and concerns, and its productions attract an ethnically and multi-generational audience representative of New York City's cultural tapestry. 1. Edgar Allen Poe (Three Plays) Two short stories and a poem by Edgar Allen Poe – “The Fall of the House of Usher”, “The Telltale Heart” and “The Raven” are presented as a collage using movement, pantomime and music. This interactive piece will help participants to identify current social issues that describe the human condition present in the works of Edgar Allen Poe. 2. Radical Two: Learning Mathematics Through Theater Radical Two, deals with the Pythagoreans, slavery and the discovery/invention of irrational numbers in the 5th century BC. After the presentation, interactive mathematical lessons using improvisation and focusing on the topic(s) pre-selected by the school are conducted in a new dramatic dynamism and appealing to students from a variety of mathematical comfort levels – from math-phobic to math-fanatic. 3. !Viva la Hispanidad! An Introduction to Classical and Folk Music from Spain, Portugal and Latin America. This Lecture-Recital will take you on a fascinating journey through four centuries of vocal and piano music from the Hispanic world by composers including Granados, Nin, Ginastera and Villa-Lobos. They will talk about the origins of the repertoire, its beautiful, enchanting melodies, captivating rhythms and enigmatic poetry, its influence on music in other countries, and illuminate the close connection of the music with dance, painting, literature and history. (Interdisciplinary and intergenerational) 4. And There are Always the Stars This play explores mental illnesses such as bipolarism, depression and anorexia. Two high school students find support in each other while gaining awareness of their own emotional problems. This play provides a forum to raise issues seldom discussed by young people and their parents. A question and answer session is provided after the play. (Intermediate and High School Students) 5. The Attack of the Bullies This is an interactive play about the behavior of "bullies". This play examines the reasons why some children are drawn to them. It provides insight into the bully mentality, and teaches children how to deal with them. By participating in the Forum Theater technique, students learn how to develope the skills they need to handle themselves in threatening situations. Utilizing this technique, an audience member comes on stage and replaces the protagonist. The new “protagonist” then offers new outcomes to the story. Augusto Boal developed the Forum Theater Technique. (Intermediate and High School Students) 6. Playwriting Residency This residency is designed to use playwriting as a way to explore student creativity. It introduces participants to the process of writing through improvisation and writing exercises. Participants learn to analyze the plot, conflict and characters. At the end of the residency, class members will present their original scenes, monologues and short plays. (Intermediate and High School Students) 7. Looking For the Lights This delightful holiday play with music tells the story of Christmas, Chanukah and Kwanzaa. Through songs, skits, and poems, members of the Enchanted Forest Opera gather in peace and harmony to celebrate their various holiday traditions, and to learn how these major holidays are alike as well as different. This play has been performed in schools and hospitals. (K-6) 8. Gritando En Silencio (“Screaming In Silence”) An oxymoron, this play finds a way to share real domestic violence stories through the art of poetry and music. It educates about the different forms of abuse and advocates for all, to help break the cycle. It begins with the kinds of abuse lived by many victims and ends with a courageous proclamation to break free from the violence in a highly empowering way. (Intermediate and High School Students) 9. Youth Issues: Workshops This is an interactive presentation lead by professional actors involving role-playing with students. The school selects a social issue or topic (i.e., HIV/AIDS, peer pressure, dating violence, racism, etc.) and students actively participate in the development of a play and follow with solutions to issues discussed during role-playing. (Intermediate and High School Students) 10. Acting Residency Acting fundamentals will be taught utilizing books such as Uta Hagen’s “Respect for Acting” and Stanislavski’s “An Actors Handbook,” to provide participants with the foundation and understanding of the acting process. Along with basic stage and theater terms, vocalization will be taught to raise the participant’s awareness of their diction and voice as it relates to acting as well as the development of public speaking skills. Discussion of body language as an important component of acting and public speaking will create a comfortable environment for participants to express themselves. Plot analysis, scene structure, character breakdown which are elements used in other academic skills development will be covered by using plays, improvisations, poems and original materials. (Middle School and High School) 11. Visual Arts Classes Participants will learn how symbols express simple as well as complex ideas. Participants will have an opportunity to explore how they define themselves as sons and daughters, teenagers, students and individuals of our society. Participants will learn about contemporary and traditional arts and artists such as Romare Bearden, Andy Warhol, Julio Valdez, Elizabeth Murray, Jacob Lawrence and Faith Ringgold. Participants will understand the cultural dimensions and contribution of the arts, and comment on the work of others while studying art criticism. They will create and play with different art materials and concepts, and analyze works of art.