ASSITEJ World Congress 2024 (Cuba) – Voices Of A New World

Fractured Fairy Tales

Drama / Complejo Museo Liceo Artístico: Márquez de Arco

This experiential workshop will highlight a unit of study for kindergarten and first graders, which examines gender stereotypes and gender roles as perpetuated through fairy tales. We will explore these stereotypes, in the hopes of “fracturing” them to better understand our evolving and contemporary world.

We start with a brief centering exercise and spending a little time defining biological sex, gender identity, gender expression, and gender role. We then work through each of three lessons within the unit. First, we examine a fairy tale that everyone is familiar with. We use words to help describe “prince” and “princess” and then translate those words into “boy” and “girl”, comparing them and learning about gender roles along the way.

We then use theatre techniques to re-tell the fairy tale using our bodies and voices. Participants choose which role they wish to play. After that, we swap the roles (but not the gender) and act out the same story, but with new gender roles.

Finally, we discuss strategies and activities that are used throughout the unit. This workshop is interactive and experiential. It is designed for theatre teachers and classroom teachers of any-aged student. Handouts will be given, and a powerpoint presentation will be used.

Production Credits

Justin GOMLAK GREER, Director of Education and Community Engagement, Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall

About the Artists

JUSTIN GOMLAK GREER is an opera singer by training and a veteran Broadway dancer and actor. He is also an experienced arts educator, DEI practitioner, and educational leader. With a career that has spanned 15 years and included appearances in 9 Broadway musicals, Justin has established himself as a prominent figure in the performing arts industry. He has also contributed extensively to the field of arts education, working as a guest artist, teacher, and arts administrator for numerous prestigious organizations. These include Camp Broadway, Broadway Classroom, City Center, the BRAVO television network, US Performing Arts Camps, NYC public schools, and the Trevor Day School.

In addition to his extensive lecturing, Justin conducts master classes in audition techniques, dance, acting, music, and performance. Justin holds a BFA in ‘Vocal Performance and Theatre’ from Carnegie Mellon University, as well as an MA in ‘Educational Leadership, Politics, and Advocacy’ from New York University. Currently, Justin serves as the Director of Education and Community Engagement at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall in Sarasota, Florida.