MAD Factory reaches out to children with student help

Do you have a creative outlet? If not, get mad. Actually, get MAD, as in the MAD Factory, a center for music, art and drama founded eight years ago by Sharon and Richard Anderson. The Factory provides art education primarily to children and high school students in Oberlin in an encouraging and supportive place, regardless of their financial abilities.

Sharon Anderson, a teacher and former worker at the United Youth Group has always found art, especially theater, to be a positive experience for children. "I used theater to help draw out the kids into participation and discussion," she said. "Art builds community and self esteem through creativity and expression, and that is extremely important."

Along with her husband, a professor of singing at the Conservatory, and Jane Armitage, associate professor of theater and chair of the department, a summer program was instituted to provide "something to do" for kids on the streets. With an initial response of over 90 kids, the three realized that there was a strong audience for arts programming: the MAD Factory was born. At the time, it was the only program of its kind aside from classes at FAVA.

Two years ago, the Factory hosted "MAD in the Park," targeted at low-income areas. "We hoped that noise and bright colors would attract people to sign up who wouldn't normally get involved in these sorts of programs," explained Anderson. It worked - an average of 25 kids a day came to participate. Now housed at the New Union Center for Arts, the MAD Factory currently offers five classes for the fall semester.

The MAD Factory works along with schools and provides after school programs for children of the Oberlin community. Anderson strongly believes in the necessity of arts education and the positive influence art has, educationally and emotionally. The MAD Factory tries to be available as an extra resource for the school.

One recent project The Factory initiated was to help high school students write and produce a play based on I Dream a World by Brian Canker. The book is about 75 black women who changed American history.

By creating a play, the students were able to integrate the lives of these women into a creative outlet that was both educational and creative. "Theater is great to teach because it involves so many disciplines," said Anderson. "There are actors, set designers, costume designers, directors...If you don't want to be in the spotlight you can work on lighting design." At the MAD Factory, kids are given the opportunity to find their own spotlight.

The MAD Factory has also provided a social and emotional support structure for many of the participants. Anderson explained, "Art and community build a family structure that in many cases, these kids don't have. Theater in particular develops a support structure that the kids can take into school and support each other there. We try to provide gender and ethic role models that the kids can look up to."

The College has played an integral supporting role in the MAD Factory. "I'm not sure we could operate without the College," admitted Anderson.

Typically, the Factory has between 15 and 20 volunteers and staff members from the College, both students and professors.

A past class on auditions featured advice from theater professors. Senior Joey Rizzolo is currently teaching a multimedia class in introduction to cultures. He incorporates guest lecturers from the College and town to look at various art forms from different cultures.

A theater major, Rizzolo is passionate about the importance of art education and creative expression. "When I'm teaching, I never think that I am doing a great job. I am continually surprised by what these kids can do," he said.

The MAD Factory's success is evident in and out of the classrooms throughout Oberlin.

"I think the success of the program is demonstrated the most by kids whose faces I see over and over again, who I thought wouldn't be interested at all," Rizzolo said. "We get all types of kids. It can be a challenge to remedy that wide of a variety. But we do it all in an non-intimidating and supportive environment. "