First workshop will be held Saturday, November 12, 2011
Time: 1:00pm – 4:00pm (Must be in Highschool)
Cost: FREE

Joseph Furnari is a theatre artist and educator who views drama as a medium of self-observation, discovery and transformation. He moved to New Orleans in 2010 after living and working in NJ and NY for, well, his entire life. Joe is currently a teaching artist for KID smART and the BYOV Coordinator for the New Orleans Fringe Festival. Before coming to NOLA, Joe was a Theatre Arts Specialist for the NYC DOE. He is a 2008 Surdna Arts Teachers Fellow, holds an Ed.D. in Art and Art Education focusing on drama from Teachers College, Columbia University and an MA in theatre from Montclair State University. As part of his dissertation research, he worked with a group of his students to create an ethnotheatre piece, entitled What’s the Point, based on the their experiences and issues important in their lives. The play was presented at the AATE National Conference in 2006. Over the years, Joe has produced, directed and acted in numerous productions in educational and professional theatre. He is thrilled to be working with Elm to co-create a Youth Ensemble.

Jen is a theatre educator specializing in youth theatre and theatre for social change. Originally from Kalamazoo, MI, Jen found her way to New Orleans via a 10-year stint in Brooklyn, NY. She is so excited to collaborate with Elm on co-creating a youth ensemble.
Jen facilitates theatre making with communities near and far and holds an MA in Applied Theatre from the City University of New York. Her work has taken her into the global community where she explored issues of civic society with youth in post-war Bosnia Herzegovina, and trained university theatre and education students in Rwanda in applied theatre methodologies.
As an artist and educator Jen is continually inspired by the spaces between—between youth and adolescence, crisis and recovery, and all life’s transitions big and small. The theatre making she facilitates helps participants create meaning and understanding of self, society, and how to position themselves in society as active global citizens.

What is Elm Youth Theatre (EYT)?

EYT is a multiethnic, youth theatre ensemble that uses the power of drama to examine issues relevant to teenagers.

• EYT creates original theatre that shares the real-life stories of New Orleans teenagers.
• EYT inspires youth to envision and cultivate a world in which they want to be active participants.
• EYT engages youth as thoughtful and imaginative artists, helping them to craft a life as adventurous dreamers and accomplished achievers.