Theatre & Fine Arts

Theatre & Fine Arts

RCLC Theatre Lab: Every Story Belongs

At the Robinson Community Learning Center Theatre Lab, we believe that stories can be told in every space, and that they belong to everyone. Our programs invite people, young and old, to discover their voices, develop confidence, build meaningful relationships, and experience the transformative power of the arts.

Students participate in every part of the theatrical process, from acting, singing, dancing, and storytelling to designing costumes, creating scenery, exploring technical theatre, and performing for live audiences. Productions such as the bilingual musical Señorita Mariposa allow students to connect theatre with science, geography, language, visual art, music, and culture.

Learning extends far beyond the RCLC stage. Students attend professional productions and participate in educational experiences at Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Broadway in Chicago, the Morris Performing Arts Center, and other regional theatres and cultural institutions. Backstage tours, artist workshops, museum visits, and live performances introduce students to the many careers, disciplines, and creative possibilities within the performing arts. RCLC’s senior citizens are also given the opportunity to explore performances as well, highlighting the idea that theatre belongs to everyone, young and old alike.

Through our partnership with the South Bend Community School Corporation, RCLC teaching artists bring standards-aligned theatre and arts integration directly into local classrooms. Creative drama, Reader’s Theatre, Shakespeare, bilingual performance, and interdisciplinary storytelling help students engage more deeply with literature, history, science, social-emotional learning, and other academic subjects.

Our students also share their work throughout the community. They perform for children, families, older adults, and community organizations such as St. Paul’s Retirement Community and Corvilla, they perform in theatres, schools, parks, museums, senior living communities, and other gathering spaces. RCLC ceases opportunities to participate in the arts abound for community members. Clients and participants from Logan Center to Corvilla, and beyond emphasizing that the arts are for everyone regardless of their ability. Theatre direction is provided for the collaborations by the Robinson Community Learning Center outreach programs and are taught at partner sites and at RCLC.

For more information contact Jennifer Jermano Miller, Theatre/Fine Arts Program Director, at jjerman2@nd.edu.