Arts Quincy Magazine

Quincy Teen
Voices
2020 was a year in which hardship
and injustice were thrown into sharp
relief, where personal struggle seemed
universal and social divides impossible
to bridge. In many ways, it was an
extraordinary year, but in others, the
critical issues of our day had lingered
beneath the surface for as long as the
country has existed.
Quincy Community Theatre received
an important grant to participate in,
“Healing Illinois,” a state-sponsored
initiative to support racial healing
projects across Illinois. Quincy was the
only community theatre to be honored
with this grant.
In partnership with Teen REACH and
led by director of education Brendan
Shea, QCT brought together a diverse
ensemble of nine brilliant and creative
teenagers from all over Quincy with the
goal of creating a short theatre piece
inspired by issues of social justice that
have permeated the headlines this past
year.
The teens began their journey by
distilling their thoughts and feelings
about the current social climate into
a single question: “How do we make
someone see their own self-worth?”
From there, they explored this question
using storytelling exercises, discussion
circles, writing prompts and improv
games. The group developed a short
theatre piece that combined the
personal with the political, as well as
introspection with an urgent call to
action. The ensemble’s work highlighted
how closely the divisions and conflicts
in today’s society are reflected in the
internal struggles that many teens face
in their communities.
QCT is proud to present the workin-progress
on its YouTube channel.
Typically, the organization never, “raises
the curtain,” on a performance until
it’s polished to a shine and ready for
an audience. But Quincy Teen Voices
highlights the process of theatre-making
as the product itself. The act of theatremaking
can promote healing, can lead
to revelation, and can spark discussions
that do not end when the curtain falls,
but continue to evolve and grow.
Theatre can take many forms and serve
many purposes. Whether that purpose is
to lift one’s spirits through a memorable
performance, to see the world in a new
light or to engage citizens to participate
in social change, the life-changing
potential of this beautiful art form is
undeniable. Therefore, it is only fitting to
conclude with a call to action from the
great Brazilian theatre maker Augusto
Boal, whose “Theatre of the Oppressed,”
provided a blueprint for impactful activist
theatre:
“Theatre is a form of knowledge; it
should and can also be a means of
transforming society. Theatre can help
us build our future, rather than just
waiting for it.”
The Healing Illinois grant is sponsored
by the Illinois Department of Human
Services in partnership with The Chicago
Community Trust.
Learn more at 1qct.org.
12 artsquincy.org