Bringing Drama Across Manitoba

MTYP’s Drama Outreach Coordinator, Willow Harvey, is excited to share the joy of theatre with young people across Manitoba. We caught up with her to learn more about her new role and the impact of drama beyond the stage.

Congratulations on the new position! What excites you most about connecting with schools and communities across Manitoba?

I am so proud to be part of the fabulous team at MTYP. What excites me most is being the connection point for Manitoban youth to access our fantastic programming in order for them learn and grow. It is very inspiring to witness how much fun our students and facilitators have in these workshops, in addition to the impact theatre has on the development of life skills.

Some people think drama is only for aspiring actors. How can drama be meaningful for students who don’t usually see themselves as performers?

Drama certainly teaches more skills than acting such as empathy, creative problem solving, teamwork, confidence, and curiosity. Additionally, it encourages students to express themselves physically, emotionally, and artistically. There are so many facets of theatre that appeal to many different interests – there is a place for everyone!

What’s the goal of MTYP’s Drama Outreach program, and what would a successful workshop look like to you?

The goal of Drama Outreach is to share our theatre programming with students outside of our building – daycares & nurserys, schools, community centres, rural communities, and remote communities. A successful workshop to me is one that was a lot of fun, and the students walked away having learned how to do something – whether it be how to create a character with a puppet or mask, or a new acting skill.

What’s your go-to warm-up activity to get the class ready?

My go-to warm-up game would have to be Woosh: everyone is in a circle, and you pass energy around the room via different verbal and physical commands. For example: When someone has the energy and says, “roll jump,” they roll an imaginary ball around the circle and everyone has to jump over it, until someone picks “it” up. This game gets the group focused, imaginations engaged, their bodies moving, and everyone smiling.