Indonesian and expat students stage a benefit<\/p>\n
By Nicole Johnson<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Expatriate and local school children are
\ncollaborating on an original theater piece titled Bridging the
\nGap, which will be performed from March 2 to March 4 as a benefit
\nfor a housing project dedicated to Indonesian children.<\/p>\n
Some 70 school children from Jakarta International School
\n(JIS) Middle School are working with 25 Indonesian children to
\nexplore communication issues and the performing arts under the
\nguidance of two JIS drama and music teachers, Diana Kerry and Kim
\nWiley.<\/p>\n
After living in Jakarta for 13 years and being responsible for
\nJIS' annual theater productions, Kerry was inspired to
\nincorporate one of the school's community service affiliates with
\nthis year's drama production.<\/p>\n
The 25 Indonesian children live in One More Chance (OMC)
\nhouses, which are funded and staffed by Tolong Anak Anak (TAA),
\nor literally, Helping the Children, a JIS community service
\nproject.<\/p>\n
The Bridging the Gap project is the most dramatic realization
\nto date of the ideal that there be a direct link between JIS
\nstudents and the children supported by TAA. The theater piece is
\nbased on the shared ideas and experiences of the children -- an
\nexploration of the communication gaps in our lives.<\/p>\n
\"We worked with the Indonesian children first to explore what
\nthe communication gap might mean for them, but found that they
\ndidn't experience a gap along the lines we were expecting. They
\nsimply didn't come into sufficiently direct or frequent contact
\nwith foreigners,\" explained Kerry.<\/p>\n
\"But they did have fears resulting from communication problems
\nwith the police and authority figures; real fears of
\nvulnerability and alienation,\" Wiley added.<\/p>\n
Both directors developed the production from creative
\nexercises, improvisations and discussions with the 95 children in
\nthe show.<\/p>\n
The Indonesians were very timid in rehearsals initially, Kerry
\nand Wiley said, but eventually they realized that rehearsals were
\nnot structured time, but fun time. Their contribution is such
\nthat the production now focuses on them and their points of view.<\/p>\n
One skit, The Zoo, has a group of seven and eight-year-old
\nIndonesians visiting monkeys swinging in cages, birds parroting
\nback selamat sore (good afternoon) and the expatriate species
\nelaborately equipped with playstations, televisions and
\ntelephones.<\/p>\n
Another skit, Pasar, is constructed on a musical theme with
\nwhich we are all quite familiar with: the Wall's ice cream kaki
\nlima (street vendor) ditty.<\/p>\n
The production closes with an Acehnese traditional dance
\nperformed by all the students with a distinct message to \"mind
\nthe gap\".<\/p>\n
Proceeds from the production of Bridging the Gap will be used
\nto help realize the plan to open a third OMC house this year.<\/p>\n
The first OMC house was founded in 1998. Located in Ciganjur,
\na few hundred meters from President Abdurrahman Wahid's home, it
\nhouses 15 to 20 boys aged seven to 17.<\/p>\n
A second house, located in Lebak Bulus, was founded in
\nSeptember 1999 to house 10 girls aged seven to 12.<\/p>\n
OMC also maintains a shelter for the street children who were
\nchosen for OMC's original program. These children are not
\nrequired to attend daily lessons although six do, and two are
\ntaking a professional driving course.<\/p>\n
TAA was founded over 20 years ago and contributes regularly to
\nnumerous charities in Jakarta. Since 1998, TAA has also sponsored
\nits own charitable organization, the OMC Foundation, and benefits
\nmost directly the OMC houses.<\/p>\n
The OMC houses function as a buffer from the harshness of
\nstreet life. Through the OMC program, the children attend a local
\nschool in the mornings, and with their involvement in the
\nBridging the Gap project, they attend rehearsals at JIS several
\nafternoons a week.<\/p>\n
The opening night on Thursday is a special benefit for the OMC
\nhouses and for the continuing education of the children living
\nthere. On Friday, two performances are scheduled for 4:30 p.m.
\nand 7:00 p.m., and there will be both matinee and evening
\nperformances at 3:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. on Saturday. Performances
\nwill be held in the JIS Little Theater on the Cilandak campus,
\nJl. Tarogong Raya No. 33, South Jakarta. JIS can be reached at
\n769-2555. Jokl Carri, the coordinator of the OMC Foundation, can
\nbe e-mailed at jcarre@cbn.net.id.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/indonesian-and-expat-students-stage-a-benefit-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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