DEJA DONNE
Junges Ensemble Stuttgart
Leibnitz-Gymnasium Stuttgart Feuerbach
AWS Abfallwirtschaft Stuttgart
Pupils: Akrivopoulou Kali, Albert Linn, Beuttler Tim, Bognar Marika, Brinkschulte Florian, Gerst Bettina, Glazov Dimitrij, Güngöze Deniz, Hettich Alina, Islami Emir, Kehl Samuel, Kuduzovic Melanie, Kurek Sabrina, Lange Pia Carlotta, Lauser Jon Jakob, Lenzinger Julia, Mackowski Jeremy, Maurer Isabel, Michaelis Manuel,Milicevic Stefanie, Nkansah Aaron, Prencipe Tina, Radi Safaa, Roth Benedikt, Sarajilija Maid, Smija Luis, Vasiliadou Despina, Wacker Anna-Lena, Wippig Andrea, Yunus Emre, Mario Bilic, Long Nguyen Hoang
The children workshop took place at Junges Enseble Stuttgart theatre studio from 23rd - 27th of October 2006 and involved 32 children. On second day of the workshop JES organized a visit of AWS Abfallwirtschaft Stuttgart, where the children were introduced to selection of refuse material and could try personally to cover the waste at “deponie-land” with earth and drive the building machines together with deponie workers...
Children rehearsals on stage of Junges Ensemble Stuttgart were held on 7th and 8th of November and MY NAME IS KING performances at Junges Ensemble Stuttgart on 8th, 9th, 10th 11th November 2006. During company’s stay in Stuttgart DEJA DONNE members visited the Leibnitz-Gymnasium, and its director, where the school aims, programme and the building itself was introduced to them.
Performances in Stuttgart were visited by Mr. Walter Heun (director Tanzwekstatt Europa Int. Festival) who decided to invite 30 children from Stuttgart to participate at two performances in Muffathalle Munich on 21st and 22nd November 2006. The performances were visited also by class teachers class and by the school director. After the opening night a reception for company members, children and their parents was organised by Junges Ensemble Stuttgart.
Journalists who wrote on performances/workshop:
Claudia Gass (Stuttgarter Zeintung) review
Andrea Kachelriess (Stuttgarter Nachrichten) review performance and workshop
Frau Schenk (Stuttgarter Wochenblatt)
Other visitors: Katja Spielss (director of Thetre FITZ! Zentrum fur figurentheater), by Edith Koerber (director Tri-buhne Stuttgart), by Bettina Milz (organisator Tanzplattform) and by Franco Sonanini (director of festival in Zurich).
The Junges Ensemble Stuttgart (JES) is the new children’s and adolescents‘ theater of the city of Stuttgart, promoted by the town and the country. The JES succeeded in very short time to take a solid position within Stuttgart’s theater ambience, as well as in Germany’s children and adolescents theater activities. The concept of the JES is based on Three-Components. 1/ the home made production deals with topics that take into regard young people and at the same time appeals to all age groups. 2/ the department of theater education supplies a wide offering for children and young people as well as for instructors. The target is to develop productions that become professional throughout the working process with young people, and will become a steady part of the theatre plan. 3/international cooperation is promoting the artistic exchange with children’s and youth theater productions from foreign countries. A basic objective is the organization of the international festival Schöne Aussicht, which brings theater productions for children and young people from different countries to Stuttgart.
Leibniz Gymnasium has 672 pupils. Born in 1888 the school is installed from 1912 in an historical building made by the architect Paul Bonatz . The philosophy of the school is based on the link between tradition and courage for building the future. Pupils, teachers, scholar direction and parents are part of a community strongly involved in the school life. Values that the school is promoting are integration, work, mutual respect, responsability of each of the member of the community in the success of learning, independence and autonomy. Art is a big part of the education programme with the gallery integrated in the school from 1972 which organises exhibition of modern painting and sculpture. Also, from 2004/2005, the school is dealing with a class of string instrument. Sport is also very present in the school programme with the training for the Olympia or other competition and the teams of handball, football, volleyball and basket ball. Leibniz Gymnasium is in connexion with the world through a partnership with a french school in Strasbourg, the Township High School of Chicago (USA), and the Collège George Pompidou in Claix/Grenoble (France).
Since 2005, AWS has provided residents with a free special refuse collection for bulky household items by appointment. Each household can arrange for their bulky waste to be picked up twice a year. The bulky waste also can be brought by the citizen on one of three recycling yards for free. To those three recycling yards the following materials can be brought too: Carton, Recyclable Glass / Metal, Electronic devices according to EAR:
- Huge electrical devices like stoves, washing machines etc.
- Refrigerators
- PC, Monitor, Printer etc.
- Neon Lamps
- Small devices like coffe machine etc.
The staff is composed of specialists in environmental technologies which are taking part on a training concerning accident control twice a year. To improve our quality management we intend to certify our three recycling yards in 2007.
Report on collaboration from Junges Ensemble Stuttgart:
During the one week workshop at the JES with Déjà Donné and a school class from the Leibniz-Gymnasium with 32 school children, there was a wide ranging program offered. Starting with the creative handling of recycled material (construction of theatre props) to information about recycling by visiting a recycling center, as well as excercises which led to presence on stage. Many exercises, similar to those which are tried out at the JES in their daily work with children and young people increased concentration and group feeling.
This wide ranging approach makes it possible for the students to achieve and use many key qualifications. The highlight of the workshop was a series of performances of the production „My name is King“ (November 2006). Children were on the JES stage with the dancers of Déjà Donné and had the chance to present their work results under professional conditions.
Through personal contact with the school the behavior of the participating classes had, thanks to the workshop Déjà Donné, in many respects improved. Apart from that the JES has built up a steady partnership with the Leibniz-Gymnasium during this workshop, something which will certainly live beyond this special project.
Report on collaboration from Anja Herzog, school teacher:
For me it was something completely new and enchanting. Normally, I teach the children 4 or 5 hours a week. During the workshop, we stayed together 5 hours a day, five days a week. It was something really intensive. I enjoyed seeing the children as individuals and as a team. I had some experience with theater before, but I was surprised of the effect that it gave to us also in the class room. Before the workshop it took quite a long time when I told the 32 of them to work in silence, now they can be quiet -and stay it- in very short time. Acting is to respect and to take care of the others and of oneself. That´s one of the things that Lenka, Pietro, Andrea and Simone and the others gave to us. I really want to thank them for their enthusiasm and their idealism! We will never forget this unique time!
Report on collaboration from the kids:
ANNA–LENA: Being actors is something completely different from what it looks like.
ISABEL: Being on stage is much more fun than what I expected. I thought I would have been more afraid and nervous, but I had so much fun instead!
I understood that theatre is not only what you can do, but mostly what you must do!
KALI: We’ve learned to help each other
DESPINA: I didn’t know it would have been so nice. I imagined it much more boring.
AARON: We are now able to be silent even five minutes long! And we work much better!
LINN: I enjoyed building the rubbish wall.
MARIKA: I am very happy we could play all together, and having each an individual role as well.
STEFANIE: I am very happy we can now work in perfect silence at school, because before was almost impossible.
ANDREA: It’s a relief we could make it! Now we are a real team!
MAID: We’ve learned what real silence is. Before entering on stage I was very nervous, but then it wasn’t that bad. It has been a joyful experience, and I think that good experiences are nicer to be remembered than the bad ones.
EMIR: I’ve learned that we have to respect other people. In ten years I will remember that I was on stage with better people who know how to make theatre!
MELANIE: I have the feeling the class is now more together. Because we’ve got to better know each other.
JEREMY: We shouldn’t throw things away just like that, because many things can be recycled. Some kids thought the workshop would have been a holiday from school. It wasn’t so. We had fun, but we’ve learned a lot as well. It wasn’t a vacation at all!
SAMUEL: I’d like to do it again!
FLORIAN: When I’ve got the main role I was surprised. At the beginning I didn’t want to do it, but later I enjoyed very much.
LUIS: It has been fun, even if I had some argues with Lenka…maybe because I didn’t behave myself. But Lenka is not that bad after all…