Val Kilmer Instagram – I’m very humbled to share this story about Melanie Andrews. She is a hero and an inspiration. Her and the team at @innercityshakes are exemplary models to follow.
Posted @withregram • @latimes In her 70s, Melanie Andrews has shared her lifelong devotion to Shakespeare with thousands of students — most of them Black or Latino — over a 30-year career teaching theater in #SouthLA schools including Washington Preparatory High School and Compton High School. She’s the artistic director of the Inner City Shakespeare Ensemble, a community theater company that pairs young performers in their teens and 20s with professional mentors.
Founded in 2010, the group began as a collaboration between the British Academy of Film and Television Arts and Washington Prep. The ensemble recruits emerging actors to perform Shakespeare in parks and other venues through school and community organizations, churches and casting websites.
The best recruitment tactic, however, is former students who remain fans of Andrews and her work. For Andrews, Shakespeare represents a foundation for success, particularly for students of color attending under-resourced schools. If they can master Shakespearean wordplay, “they can master anything,” she says.
But it’s not all #Shakespeare. The #theater ensemble has evolved into a support system and expanding network for the estimated 1,000 young people who have been involved since its founding.
If the young actors have a need, Andrews is there to fill it. Andrews says she buys socks and underwear. She’s helped students to move into their college dorms, to purchase books for class, and to make sure their financial aid packages are settled. Over 10 years of the program, she’s been to weddings and there’s also been a baby, “but no babies that we shouldn’t have,” she quickly adds. Full story in our bio. 📸: @therealchristinahouse | Posted on 21/May/2021 11:32:10
