Students go see FENCES by August Wilson at our Aurora Community Theatre.
English students had the amazing opportunity to see the play they have been studying in class, Fences by August Wilson, come to life at our Aurora Community Theatre. Mrs. Taylor organized a field trip where students had the chance to meet the director and actors to get a sneak peak.
“I was thrilled when I first heard that the Aurora Community Theater was putting on the production of Fences. What better way to connect our students to the community and theater?! There's something about reading a play in class, and then seeing it performed live. Not only will students be seeing the theater in Aurora on this field trip, but they'll be meeting the director, the three main actors of the play, board members of the Aurora Community Theater, and the person who designs and oversees lighting.” said Mrs. Taylor.
Christine Patronik-Holder, the business and marketing manager at the Aurora Community Theatre mentioned,"The ACT Board is thrilled by this opportunity to work with local students. The board's new mission statement includes a commitment to reach out to diverse audiences, and presenting FENCES is a big step in achieving that goal. Support from Aurora's schools underscores the importance of the decision.”
Many students said the field trip made them even more eager to see the actors they met “in their glory on stage.” Students got to meet and greet with the actors, and then see the actors portray the characters, which helped them appreciate the emotion behind characters’ lines.
This trip also encouraged people interested in acting to pursue that dream, as Aurora Community Theatre’s actors are from a variety of age groups and experience levels. Every student said it was fun to go and very cool to learn more about the play from the actors playing the lead roles.
84 students attended the Fences performance and truly enjoyed it. Majority of students said that this experience helped them understand the play.
Through a google survey, students commented that “It made the play more real and gave me more insight of the time period.”
“Seeing actors take on the characters in the play really let me understand that different characters can be seen and taken in differently by different people,” students said when asked about their experience seeing Fences.
Whenever students get a chance to experience a play live, the way it was meant to be experienced, they get a chance to truly understand the message. Every student said the actors were phenomenal and the play was absolutely amazing.
One student commented, “I loved to see a predominantly white city like Aurora come together and experience something totally different from our daily lives and rituals, and understand the play in hundreds of different ways from our unique perspectives. The play was phenomenal I would love to see another play there soon!”
When asked if they would go to the Aurora Community Theatre again after the field trip and seeing Fences, not a single student said no. Students either said yes, or maybe (depending on the show).
