Penumbra Theatre Company
Institute For Interns: Pedagogies Of Art For Social Change
Program Overview 2016
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
About the internship: This cutting-edge internship program runs in tandem with our Summer Institute
and is designed to give undergraduate students the opportunity to explore innovative and communal
ways to teach art and social justice in a holistic and culturally specific manner. Interns have the
opportunity to participate in Summer Institute courses, work with the professional instructors and test
run their creative ideas, aspirations and exercises with creative young people eager to make the world a
more humane, just and creative place. The Institute for Interns will explore and deepen comprehension
of integrated educative practices that use art as a platform for learning, expression and activism.
Timeline: The program is a full time commitment and runs from June 26th – August 6th, 2016.
 June 26th: Instructors, Staff, and Interns gather for a day-long plenary session
 June 27th-July 1st: Interns assist with administrative preparations for the program
 July 5th-August 5th: Interns take courses alongside SI students as well as their own seminar
 July 29th-30th and August 5th-6th: Interns perform with their “track” on Penumbra’s stage
About Summer Institute: The Penumbra Summer Institute is a leadership development program
training students ages 13-19 in the practice of art for social change to eliminate racism and promote
social justice and equity.
 The first year track is a four-week curriculum that introduces students to the concept of art for
social change and basic theater craft, history, and literature. This track culminates in an original
ensemble performance about social issues.
 The second year track is a five-week curriculum that delves deeper into theater skills and a
particular social justice issue of interest to each student. This track culminates in an original
performance of monologues about social justice issues the students deem urgent and relevant.
INTERNSHIP ACTIVITIES
1. Coursework (July 5th-August 5th, Monday – Friday 8:00 am – 5:00 pm)
Interns will be assigned to one of two program tracks and take courses alongside students.
Interns are asked to act as role models; to elevate the professionalism, rapport, and critical
thinking inside the classroom; and to facilitate communal dialogue. Interns will have the
opportunity to observe how professional artists from diverse backgrounds approach teaching.
The program provides undergraduates with an array of strategies, philosophies, and practices in
teaching art for social change. Courses focus on acting, movement, music, writing,
improvisation, and theoretical foundations. See the website for details on this year’s courses.
2. Seminar: Pedagogical Inquiry (June 27th-July 29th, Weekly)
Interns will meet weekly with the Director of Inquiry, Stephanie Lein Walseth, PhD, for a seminar
in which we explore essential texts on radical pedagogy, social justice approaches to arts
education, and the politics of artistic representation. Specifically, we will investigate the
methodologies necessary to create pedagogical spaces—both inside and outside classroom
walls—that challenge traditional definitions of teacher-student relations, critique conventional
approaches to evaluation and assessment, and dismantle mainstream notions of educational
and artistic success. In so doing, we will learn how to create pedagogical spaces that allow
Penumbra Theatre Company
Institute for Interns 2016
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people to bring their whole selves into the learning space. Interns will be asked to complete
daily journals, create teaching philosophies, and develop and test lesson plans – putting into
practice what they have been observing and theorizing.
3. Performance (July 29th and 30th, August 5th and 6th)
In addition to taking the courses, interns will help in the development of the final performances
and will take the stage as part of the ensemble. Interns should enhance the ensemble and
support the vision of the students, not strive for “center stage.”
4. Administrative Assistance (June 27th- July 1st)
Prior to the students’ arrival, interns will assist Summer Institute staff leadership with necessary
administrative preparations. This allows interns the opportunity to get to know one another,
and to gain insight into the students and the program. They will also meet for one Seminar
course during this preparatory week.
Penumbra Theatre Company
Institute for Interns 2016
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