The MA in Applied Theatre (MAAT) at the CUNY School of Professional Studies (CUNY SPS), once again mounted a Theatre in Education (TIE) Festival, featuring original work created by MAAT students. Four different student projects, that had toured New York City schools in the preceding two weeks, were remounted and offered for a public audience on campus over the weekend of May 17 and 18.
The four teams who presented in the TIE Festival were comprised of students from the CUNY SPS courseTeaching Through Theatre: The Theory and Practice of TIE. The MAAT student actors, who are versed in both theatre and education, created original pieces geared to entertain while educating specific audiences in pre-K, elementary, middle, and high school.
Chris Vine, academic director for the MAAT program, spoke about the scope of the TIE Festival and the enthusiastic audience response to the various projects.
“Over the course of the weekend, a large audience of friends, family members, young people (including very young children), co-workers, current and prospective students, and a group of visiting overseas students from London, attended the performances to offer their support, learn about the MA program, and experience this unique approach to embodied ‘learning through theatre,’” said Vine. “Common refrains from visitors included surprise at how powerful this work and way of learning is, and praise for the skills of our presenting students. They did an excellent job adapting their work to such a varied audience!”
The four featured projects at the 2025 TIE Festival were:
When the Lights Dim: The Fight to Be Seen and Heard Devised and presented by Vaughn Rush and Daniel Sbriglio
Before the lights go out, there is a choice: wait on the sidelines, or take a stand? In When the Lights Dim,participants are invited into a world where the lights of art and self-expression are slowly being extinguished by a rising authoritarian force known as the Firm. Originally designed for 11th grade art students, this piece explored the power of art as resistance in the face of censorship and prejudice. Through dramatic scenes, audience participation, creative decision-making, and visual art-making, participants were challenged to consider the role of artists in a time of growing oppression—and the ways they might fight to be seen and heard.
What Are You So Afraid Of? Devised and presented by J.D. Scalzo and Patryk Sicinski
Everybody is afraid of something! In this project, devised for 5th graders facing the big transition to middle school, storytelling, character development, and imaginary world-building help the young participants discover the honesty, courage, and resourcefulness needed to sustain them in their changing worlds. The goal of the project was to encourage students to recognize safely, through the experience of others, the common threads of their fears, and to find camaraderie together as they move through this period of transition in their lives.
Through the Desert and Beyond: A Journey and Exploration of Medieval Western Africa, the People and their Contributions to Humanity Devised and presented by Nate Merchant and Willie Teacher
What do we know of older, neglected civilizations? In this exciting, interactive theatre project, originally designed for upper middle school students, participants are enlisted under the leadership of the impressive Mansa Musa to become members of an expedition tasked with investigating and preserving the most precious artifacts and culture of the old Mali Empire. What can they learn from the past, and how will their unique contributions help to enhance another, apparently advanced, civilization?
Into the Unknown: A Collaborative Story with Pre-Kindergartners Devised and presented by Monica Diaz, Elana Hershman, and Rachel Matusewicz
Step into a world of wonder with Into the Unknown, an immersive adventure designed especially for our youngest audiences. In this interactive and collaborative story, participants become adventurers journeying into a magical forest—only to discover the gold coins for the wishing well have mysteriously disappeared! To recover the coins, the adventurers need to venture deeper into the unknown, encountering surprises, solving problems, and learning to trust themselves and their friends along the way.
About the Master of Arts in Applied Theatre
The MA in Applied Theatre degree program, the first program of its kind in the United States, uses theatre as a medium for education, community development, and the pursuit of social justice. The goal of the program is to educate scholar-practitioners to become future leaders in the field of applied theatre. Applied Theatre involves the use of theatre and drama in a wide variety of nontraditional contexts and venues, such as in teaching, the justice system, health care, the political arena, community development, museums, and social service agencies.
About the CUNY School of Professional Studies
As New York's leading online school since 2006, the CUNY School of Professional Studies (CUNY SPS) offers the most online bachelor's and master's degree options at the City University of New York, and serves as the University's first undergraduate all-transfer college. With 26 degrees and numerous other non-degree and grant-funded workplace learning programs, CUNY SPS meets the needs of adults who wish to finish a bachelor's degree, progress from an associate's degree, earn a master's degree or certificate in a specialized field, and advance in the workplace or change careers. Consistently ranked highly by U.S. News & World Report for its online offerings, CUNY SPS has emerged as a nationwide leader in online education. The School's renowned and affordable online programs ensure that busy working adults may fulfill their educational goals on their own time and schedule.
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