History & Mission...

laugh think question feel

 

CloseUP Theatre Troupe was founded in the Spring of 1997 as a university-wide collaborative creation between three university areas: the Communication & Theatre Arts Department, University Health Services and McKenny Union & Campus Life. CloseUP Theatre Troupe's main mission is to explore health and social issues relevant to student life through theatre and follow-up dialogue. On and off campus health and social resource information is provided to all audience members who attend CloseUP performances. CloseUP resents both information and ideas to audience members in a theatre skit format and embraces humor, satire, realism, music, dance and poetry. Though educational, CloseUP material does not preach or moralize social issues. Instead, scenes and monologues are open-ended in order to encourage questioning and dialogue among audience members.

 

CloseUP's mission is to use theatre as a vehicle for exploring relevant health and social issues and informing audiences about the resources available to address them. Such theatre is intended to catalyze dialogue, question and reflect on productive life choices.

 

---Create and use theatre as a medium to increase awareness of relevant social, health and wellness issues.

---We honor the exploration of more than one perspective.

---Encourage individuals to personally consider issues.

---Identify resources.

---Encourage introspection, reflection and self-awareness.

 

---Innovative approach to disseminating health/wellness/social as issues and messages.

---Honest representation of the student voice.

---The medium is about emotional appeal-if we inspire others to feel something they are more likely to remember the information.

 

We believe that:

---Theatre can alter perspective.

---Students must be involved in the creation.

---Theatre must have a strong aesthetic.

---Theatre is based on the interrelatedness of the wellness dimensions.

---It is stronger because it is a collaboration between academics and student services.

---Theatre can be a mediator of ideas.

 

Reciprocity---honest discussion---collaboration---equality---strong aesthetic expression---humor---evoke emotion---diversity of ideas, experiences and energies---self reflection---must have buy-in from the troupe members

 

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CloseUP Theatre Troupe