The climate crisis is one of young people’s top concerns, and a major source of anxiety: “ecoanxiety.” Indiana’s youth see young activists taking leadership roles around the world, but they find their own elected officials and business leaders to be lacking in action at a scale that the science demands. React’s Climate Crisis Project will take a group of young theatre artists through a process of researching the climate crisis in order to then devise an original play to address climate change and ecoanxiety.
Climate change is a fact. There’s no doubt about increased rates of temperature rise, ice melting, extreme weather events: the planet is in crisis.
Where does this leave young people, as they prepare to inherit this earth? The immediate environmental problems have been compounded by acute ecoanxiety, which makes it even harder to tackle the climate crisis. React aims to use the tools of theatre to help young people cope with ecoanxiety, while also providing solutions they can be a part of – or even lead.
React's upcoming play about the climate crisis is an intensive theatre experience for 7th-11th graders. We'll spend a year researching, developing, and rehearsing an original play.
YOU, the students, will be working with the director, Ryan Mullins, to build the play. We're partnering with Earth Charter Indiana and many other organizations to make our research phase as thorough as possible.
We plan to premiere the play in November 2023 and then tour to schools throughout Indiana (and possibly beyond!).
The schedule is listed here. Class times are listed through November 2023.
This class is Pay What You Can, so that any interested student can participate. At our usual rate (per hour of instruction), the class would be $110 per month for the 13 months that are currently scheduled. Please carefully consider what you can pay, and set up a monthly payment plan here.
Also in the interest of removing barriers, we're not holding auditions for the Climate Crisis Project. However, this is a serious commitment for both the student and the parent(s). Please review this Student Agreement Form to understand the expectations and make sure this project is a good fit for you.
An additional experience (not included) that participants can sign up for is React's Fall Experiment overnight camp (October 13-16), which will be climate crisis-themed. More details here!
Want to bring The Climate Project to your school? Learn more about how to book a performance.
Your donation to React helps to cover production and touring expenses, allowing us to offer affordable admission prices for schools. Please consider supporting a play that will have young people thinking differently about the climate crisis and embracing their own power as stewards of the earth.