The Pearl Company

 NEWS! The first day of camp will be a Parent and Youth Open House on Monday June 30, 9:00 – 3:00 at The Pearl. Come and meet Simon De Abreu (TLC Project Coordinator) and the TLC artists who are teaching and facilitating this exceptional summer program for children and youth.

The Theatre of Liberation Community Project provides a unique learning experience for young people in Hamilton from the ages of 7 to 17 through two 2 week summer sessions in July and August at the Pearl Company, 16 Steven Street.
First session: June 30 to July 11, Monday to Friday 9:00 am to 4:00 pm.

TLC Sessions use participatory theatre games and exercises to aid young people to connect with the creative energy within them. The aim is to inspire participants to build self-confidence and self-respect that will lead to a greater respect for others and the community in which they live.

See the TLC Project website for more information

Program goals are specifically achieved through theatre games (team building games) and exercises using a variety of arts-based activities that have young people reflecting upon themselves and their relationships with others.

These sessions incorporate the six pillars of peace taken from the UN’s Peace Manifesto 2000 (basic principles of peaceful co-existence): 1) Respect all life 2) Reject violence 3) Share with others 4) Listen to understand 5) Preserve the planet 6) Rediscover solidarity

The history of participatory theatre goes back thousands of years. In the 21st Century, theatre artists like Augusto Boal (Theatre of the Oppressed) and Canadian, David Diamond (Theatre for the Living) have inspired Simon De Abreu (TLC Project Coordinator) to seek out opportunities to work for Social Justice. Simon works to set up a positive, safe, non-threatening space that allows students to creatively find their artistic voice & share ideas they hold dear.

Simon is a recent graduate of McMaster University. He studied Communication, Theatre and Film and is graduating with an M.A. from the Theatre Studies Graduate Program at York University. He has studied with world renowned theatre practitioner, Augusto Boal in L.A. and with his son, Julian Boal in Montreal. Simon has also studied with the well respected Canadian theatre activist, David Diamond in Vancouver.

This project will continue in after-school sessions in the fall. Stay tuned.