Olmedo hosts a new edition of ‘El clasiquillo’, the theater festival for children and young people

Tam-Tam Press / April 15, 2024 / THEATER

Primary and secondary school students, teachers and sociocultural entertainers have a new opportunity to expand their theatrical experiences with the second edition of the Children’s, Young and Classic Theater Festival “El clasiquillo” to be held in Olmedo (Valladolid) from April 18 to 21 . The sessions will take place at the San Pedro de la Villa del Caballero Performing Arts Center and throughout them, teachers and students will be able to acquire knowledge related to the world of classical arts.

Two contributions stand out above many others in the programming of the “El clasiquillo” contest dedicated to children and youth: personal enrichment and the approach to literature of those who attend its sessions.

For Javier Pérez Lázaro, director and producer of the event, “bringing classical theater” to rural schools means “an act of responsibility, following in the wake of Olmedo Clásico where we have been inspired to carry out this initiative, which, sure, it will take root,” he said.

This stage event aimed at children and young people will begin with the “Intiterésate” workshop, taught by Alauda Teatro. In these practices, students learn the history of the puppet and the marionette, the technique of how creative processes are carried out and they will also have the opportunity to follow the manipulation techniques and the detail of some montages of this company from Burgos.

It will be followed by the workshops “Towards comedy goes”, based on the experiences of “Aula Teatro” and “Comedia-va” of the University of Valladolid, taught by Araceli Marcos, Esther Pérez Arribas and Charo Charro, as well as other variations, under the same title, from the companies Lapso Producciones and Bricabrac Teatro.

The El clasiquillo Festival will also offer the proposals ‘One more character on stage: lighting’, taught by Javier Martín del Río, creator of the artistic movement Dramatized Light Art; ‘Surcando verses’, aimed at boys and girls from 6 years old, and, finally, “La vida esdream”, a show by Ultramarinos de Lucas, co-produced with the National Classical Theater Company. The event will close with ‘The school of spectators’, a colloquium between the artists and the public to exchange experiences and impressions with which to enrich the meeting.

:: Empathy and motivation

When approaching the theater of the Golden Age, it is necessary to break with two rancid prejudices: one should not identify it with the ideology of the dictatorship, as was attempted to be transmitted with the arrival of democracy, nor should one maintain that verse is something for adults.

Esther Pérez Arribas, teacher and director of Pie Izquierdo, considers that it is important for children and young people to coexist with classical theater because they have “the right to know their cultural heritage.” In his opinion, “the classics contain teachings, fascinating stories, moving conflicts that children can also learn” and that serve, like adults, to “get excited, reflect and have fun.”

Pérez Arribas, with many years of experience in pedagogical and theatrical matters, understands that children “like, are interested in, and challenge the theater of our classic authors because they ask many questions, both about the stories themselves and the theatrical productions.” .

A different question is how to bring this artistic modality closer to the little ones. Araceli Marcos, a teacher in the course taught in El clasiquillo, is in favor of the fact that a teacher or professional of the performing arts must approach this type of audience with “empathy.”

In his opinion, it is important to take into account their tastes and “adapt the works, the characters, their adventures, as well as their way of solving conflicts,” to their own interests. And he proposes: it is essential to “generate motivation in students so that they want to know the works of the Golden Age, a motivation that is generated by applying new technologies in the classroom”, without forgetting the pull that “game characters” exert on them.

“Ingenuity and originality” are, likewise, two premises that classic texts must bring together, according to Esther Pérez Arribas, when addressing theater for children and youth since “it is much less conventional, generally, than “classical theater for adults.”

“Regarding the verse, they love it when it is well performed and they even learn it, because the verses, the choruses, the songs have always encouraged learning,” he emphasizes. And she confesses that “I love teaching verse workshops for children since you can break the solemnity that is assumed, and show that Lope or Sor Juana will always make us laugh, cry or question or dazzle us” with their unexpected approaches, says the director. .

After analyzing what the two specialists say, it is not surprising that Javier Pérez Lázaro, director of the Festival, points out that we are “convinced that theater is a very powerful tool, capable of generating good opportunities for the development of boys, girls and young people.” , especially “in a town that feels theatrical and that, logically, could be the birthplace of great professionals in the performing arts.”

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The El Clasiquillo Festival is held at the Performing Arts Center (CAE) in San Pedro. Olmedo (Valladolid)
Dates: April 18-21, 2024

Ticket sales: www.elclasiquillo.com
Workshop registrations: elclasiquillo@elclasiquillo.com
Program: https://elclasiquillo.com/programa
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ElClasiquillo
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elclasiquillo