The Roof is on Fire

The Roof is on Fire was something that I've always known about, but have never actually seen any footage of. From ages 11-14 I attended a middle school that was shockingly similar to CalArts. The school had every student declare an artistic "major," which you would spend half of every school day fostering. As you'd expect, I was going to this school to study theatre. I was lucky to have had theatre teachers who were passionate professionals who cared about teaching us the art form of theatre, not just how to act or memorize a scene. I remember we had a unit on making the world a more open and welcoming place through our theatre, were Channing, our teacher, described "The Roof is on Fire."

At the time I felt very moved by the fact that the actors weren't given scripts, and that they couldn't write the words down before they spoke them. I had never thought of using myself and my immediate thoughts as a tool I had in theatre -- I had only known theatre to be defined as having characters different than ourselves. Looking back, I think I was shocked by the confidence it took to tell your community, as yourself, how you feel about anything and everything.

It inspired my middle school self that my opinions, even as a very young person, is still valid and should be heard. When I was that age I was the most creative and expressive I'd ever been in my life. Yet, I remember my dad yelling at me, telling me that when I leave the house I need to "conform." He'd say it over and over to me. By the time I reached high school I became such a watered down version of myself that I had a hard time creating any original art. Words are powerful, and if young people hear the same stories about themselves (that do not serve them positively), then that becomes a part of them.

The students in "The Roof is on Fire" were given a chance to release all of their most pressing thoughts and feelings, and they made the adults understand. Not only is it poetic art, but it's therapy.