about WAS

The school activities last for about 9 months through the year.
First of all every new comer auditions for the school, while every continuing member is interviewed individually. Thus we confirm everyone’s motivation for a stage performance.
After this phase, all the members are requested to participate in a 7-months program in the performing arts.
In the first half of this program, we offer several 3-month workshops created by various artists and several experts in supporting handicapped people.
Here we respect each member’s motivation and take time to bring out their abilities
In the last half of this program, the participants take lessons in rehearsal style on the basis of a script.
Thus well-rehearsed, they spend two days for dress rehearsals, and finally to complete the whole course they perform at a public theater. At the end of this course a certificate is handed to everyone at the final ceremony.

photo by Maiko Miyagawa

Have you ever heard of the fun empty lot
which is open every weekend?
It is in the City Hall of Hachioji: Create Hall.

Various people come to this empty lot like adults, children,
handicapped people, foreigners, young people, aged people,
office workers and students
At this place,
everyone is called by the name they want to be called by.
That is to say, a new name given by himself or herself.
How will you name yourself?
What’s important here for everyone is not to be acting
skillfully or unskillfully, nor to win or to lose,
but just to have a song which they want to sing, a dance
which they want to dance, a melody which they want to play or
a thought or story to talk about.
And also a little bit of courage to be honest to their own feelings.

This is the empty lot where you can explore
and look for something which will make you really happy.
What makes this empty lot amazing is that ,standing in this lot,
you may find yourself in a deep green forest,
or in a beautiful sea with colorful fish swimming around,
or even in somebody’s room.

Though it can't be seen, you will surely feel the mysterious world.
Now why don’t you come visit this empty lot?
If you enjoy yourself here, it will make others happy
and you will find yourself shining in their eyes.
Tomorrow is Sunday.
What kind of scene shall I see and
what kind of me shall I meet?, I wonder.

ACTIVITIES

West Tokyo Actors’ School 〔WAS〕,which works with handicapped people to create a new style of stage performance offers a one-year course of novel, original and attractive performance activities so that new possibilities of stage art can be realized. Here every participant, whether handicapped or not, experienced or not, young or old, of whatever nationality, can shine through dancing, recitation, acting in a play, performing on musical instruments, singing a song, or film making.
Also we are trying to create a special space for art communication, full of new realizations and learning, where the participants can inspire and understand each other
It is very important for human beings to express their own feelings freely and easily with their whole bodies.

West Tokyo Actors’ School would like to make full use of each participant’s ways of expression and discover and cultivate the possibilities hidden inside them.
Won’t you come join us to enjoy being together and creating a space where we can learn from each other?
No expense is involved except for transportation.
If you have any interest at all in expressing yourself, please don’t hesitate to knock on our new door. We are sure that some day the knocking will echo in your heart as an unforgettable sound.

	REVIEW /POEM by Wayne E. Pounds"CLOVER"

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The graph below shows how the number of people involved in WAS has developed since it started.
About 60 members participated this year, which is twice as many as in the first year, with around 80% out of all the members continuing from the previous term. Returning members bring depth and richness to the activities.
Among the members, we call those students who, having some kind of disability, became members by passing the audition. And others are called supporting staff, including various artists seeking for new possibilities of expression through collaboration with the students, staff members of welfare homes, persons who are trying to develop a welfare system in which handicapped peoples’ own will is respected, or citizens and college students who get interested through observing or experiencing the school program.
The directors and the managers are also considered to be supporting staff.
The result is that WAS is a place where both the students and the supporting staff can learn from each other through artistic expression. An important characteristic of the program is that the members make full use of what they learn here in their own everyday life, job, or even creating art works or writing academic theses.

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