Odyssey: Resourcefulness in action

What would you say if you were not just a spectator at a theatrical performance? How would you feel if in the famous Odyssey adventure you could suggest solutions to the companions to overcome an obstacle, guess Odysseus’ thoughts, or give your own version of the story’s progression? How would you answer the question: Who is the bravest, who is the strongest, what is courage, what is faith, what is perseverance, what is enjoyment? What do you remember?

In this performative version of the Odyssey, children become participants in the theatrical narrative. Thus, during the performance-narrative, the action is interrupted and children are invited through specific activities to enrich and deepen moments of the story. The activities are based on the techniques of educational drama and may include a frozen image, a kinetic scene, the hero’s thoughts, a hallway of consciousness, etc. Through this experiential process, children acquire a more active attitude towards the story, sharpen their imagination, strengthen their critical thinking and free themselves from the anxiety of right and wrong.

The aim is to focus on the connection between adventure and everyday life. That is, how each time we overcome obstacles and manage failure we get a little closer to knowing ourselves.

The program is intended for children in the 4th, 5th and 6th grades of primary school and the 1st grade of high school. Maximum number of participants is 30 children.

The first presentation took place at the Panhellenic Scientific Conference “Arts in Greek schools” at the National Kapodistrian University of Athens (EKPA) in October 2018.

Dimitra Loupi and Froso Zagoraiou are responsible for the design of the program.

Dimitra Loupi is a theatrologist and actress. After her studies in Philology at the University of Athens, she studied Theatrology and Acting at the Theater Department in Thessaloniki. She has specialized in Drama in Education. She teaches Theater Education to groups of children and adolescents.

Froso Zagoreou is an actress, a graduate of the “Karolos Koun” Art Theater and has gained a wealth of experience in the field of children’s theater, having performed in dozens of productions.