(“Meet Me in Dreamland” will play after the teaser)
One of the key benefits to an education based on travel is the crash course on local social, political, economic, and environmental issues offered in each country we visit. At least once per term, however, a local hot-button topic ends up dominating international headlines: Greece’s financial crisis and the calls for a “Grexit” while we were in Athens; the Boston Marathon terrorist attacks which left our students unhurt but shaken; and the issue of rape and women’s rights in India that had far-reaching implications well beyond our host city of Hyderabad.
While these issues resounded with our students, arriving in Sweden at the same time as thousands of Syrian refugees struck an immediate chord of empathy — perhaps chalk it up to the students’ own transient nature. Discussions on the refugee topic quickly evolved into a desire to help their fellow global citizens in need. And rather than simply passing a hat around for donations, our students decided to pool their talents and stage a student-written, student-performed, and student-directed original production for charity: “Meet Me In Dreamland.”
Natalie C. works on set design
Students from all three grades worked closely with Spanish teacher Sam Nelson on every aspect of the Dreamland production, including learning cover songs, choreographing dance numbers, writing dialogue, creating large backdrops, and costume preparation. The breadth of our students’ musical abilities allowed the production to feature a wider range of instruments than usual, including guitars, djembes, and a melodica.
"What started off as an innocuous conversation about a variety show in a local theatre morphed into a moving and visually striking original play. I couldn't have done it without such an amazing group of students and staff, who went above and beyond the call of duty to make sure it was successful. Everyone involved can rest assured that we did our best for the Center for Refugee Solidarity, and the money we raised will help many people in need."
Regarding fundraising for the event, our students decided on Swedish NGO The Center for Refugee Solidarity (CRS) as the recipient of ticket sales and donations due to CRS’s outstanding track record working with refugees from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. More on CRS, including how to make your own donation, can be found below.
About The Center for Refugee Solidarity
The Center for Refugee Solidarity (CRS) is a Swedish NGO committed to the promotion of refugee rights in the MENA region. Specifically geared towards the advancement of refugee rights in this region, CRS aims to generate improvements in the legal, social and political situations of refugees, which are currently unacceptable from a humanitarian perspective. CRS works to improve the status of refugees in the MENA region through the monitoring and documentation of the situation of refugees, and advocacy, encouraging national and international stakeholders to actively engage in issues affecting refugee rights.
Photo by Lotta Holmström
After countless hours of rehearsals and revisions, “Meet Me in Dreamland” was staged on December 12, 2015, at the Dieselverkstaden Theater in Stockholm, Sweden. We’re pleased to now share that performance in its entirety with you.
Jade Ramone (played by 11th grader Mayoya R.) leads an ordinary life, or so it seems. She goes to school, tolerates her bickering parents, and tries to fit in, but she always wonders if there’s more out there. When Jade realizes she’s unhappy with her life, she begins to look within herself and the depths of her subconscious to find the courage she lacks, the creativity she can’t find, and the acceptance she longs for. Who she finds within herself prompts a transformation that even she could never predict.
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A passion for travel. A strong academic record. And the desire to improve the world as you experience it. If this sounds like you, you just might be our ideal candidate! Start your application with a five-minute inquiry form - you never know where you might end up.
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SubscribeA passion for travel. A strong academic record. And the desire to improve the world as you experience it. If this sounds like you, you just might be our ideal candidate! Start your application with a five-minute inquiry form - you never know where you might end up.