Theatre gives time to street boys

IT'S MINUTES past six on a Thursday evening and seven hyperactive young street boys gather around on the stage at the Little Theatre to learn a song. Through theatrical elements they are being taught discipline.

The boys, whose ages range from seven to 14, have been 'adopted' by the Pantomime Company since March. They were introduced to the Company by the Norman Manley Law School Outreach Project.

From then on it has been a close relationship between the boys - who go by once a week - and the theatre.

"We gave free tickets to the children to attend the pantomime. They liked it so much that when they went home, a group of them tried to act out the scenes from the play. Later, it was suggested that we adopt them," explained Barbara Gloudon, chairman of the Little Theatre.

The project is in its third week and the boys are learning various aspects of the theatre.

On the evening that The Gleaner visited, the boys were being taught a song from this year's Pantomime. "We have 16 boys on an average day but about 10 attended this session," explained Kadian Donald of the National Initiative for Street Children.

"What I'm doing is sharing some of our knowledge with them. We hope to keep them until we see some improvements and we hope that the programme will be an ongoing one," Mrs. Gloudon added.

-- Contributed

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