Since late February this year, Saturday afternoons at the Casa de la Cultura in La Unión have been filled with joy, play, learning, solidarity, and unity. At ACTE, we are developing a project that fills our hearts with pride.
Twenty-five teenagers, aged 13 to 18, are participating in the "Theater Workshops for Violence Prevention", an initiative by Espressivo with the support of the Puntos de Cultura program, from the Ministry of Culture and Youth, and the Municipality of La Unión. Over 15 weeks, the participants attend 3.5-hour theater workshops each session, culminating in the creation and performance of a play.
During these sessions, the teens engage in a variety of fun and dynamic activities to get to know each other better, strengthen group cohesion, reinforce values, and reflect on the violence affecting their communities. They come from the cantons of La Unión, Curridabat, and Desamparados. The participants express their happiness and eagerly look forward to Saturdays to reunite.
The sessions are led by actress, director, and theater producer Cristina Bruno, with support from various professionals in different theatrical fields. For instance, the script will be developed in collaboration with playwright Brian Vindas, while lighting and sound training will be provided by Antonio Cordero and Diego Peña, technicians from Teatro Espressivo. The team of instructors is completed by Alfred Kaufman, Lil Apéstegui, and Karla Barquero.
By September, the teenagers are expected to have their play fully prepared and rehearsed, ready to be performed at both Teatro Espressivo and community venues. While the final performances will undoubtedly be a thrilling moment, what matters most to us as an organization is that these young people leave with life skills, soft skills that will serve them now and in the future, and new friendships that will strengthen their personalities during this critical stage of life.
A special thanks to AM-PM, Taco Bell, Spoon, and Café Britt for donating the refreshments for each session.