To FREEZE or Not?

Is theater the right medium to address this?

Theater is a powerful medium to address issues of injustice, violence and the social divide.

The musical FREEZE FRAME…Stop the Madness is a non-profit initiative
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Authorities, activists and educators have proposed numerous ways to address social inequity, and to reduce violence. Yet cycles of inequity, injustice and violence continue to afflict minority communities across America.

These negative forces have the most destructive impact on young people.

We need new ways to respond. Live theater is a medium that can confront and reframe these issues so they can be understood and addressed. Research proves that live theater is effective:

  • Young people exposed to live theater performance show greater literary knowledge, as well as enhanced tolerance and empathy toward other people and their experiences.1
  • Dramatic performances and interactive theater shift opinions on social justice issues.2
  • Musical theater, in particular, has been shown to alter audience attitude and behavior.3

FREEZE FRAME…Stop the Madness is a fusion of dance, drama, music, spoken word and visual arts that meld in to an unforgettable live experience. Theater has the profound power to change minds by reaching beneath the level of conscious awareness to awaken deep emotional responses.

FREEZE FRAME will help members of all communities—minority and mainstream—understand the challenges that confront their communities and develop genuine empathy. The pre- and post-performance dialogue will help people understand how they can become agents of change.

Citations:

  • 1. University of Arkansas, Fayetteville. “Major benefits for students who attend live theater, study finds.”  ScienceDaily. 16 October 2014.
  • 2. University of Missouri. “$1 million gift to fund applied theater research.” MU News Bureau. 09 March 2015.
  • 3. Tom Jacobs. “Musicals have the power to change minds.” Pacific Standard. 01 March 2012.
FREEZE FRAME is a transformational theatrical experience. At once dazzling entertainment and a deeply confronting social exposé, this show will leave you breathless. Debbie Allen and her students once again prove the powerful necessity of art in education and in our national conversation.
Tony Goldwyn Star of ABC’s Scandal