The Bystander Project
About
THE BYSTANDER PROJECT, Concrete Temple Theatre’s stage adaptation of Young Adult author James Preller’s celebrated anti-bullying novel, Bystander, was commissioned by the Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation in Fall 2011. Using traditional theatre as well as original music, shadow puppetry, and projections–as well as a combination of middle school and professional actors–THE BYSTANDER PROJECT tells the story of Eric, who after moving to a new town, must confront the complicated issues behind bullying.
Adapted from James Preller’s The Bystander by Renee Philippi
Directed by: Renee Philippi
Design by: Carlo Adinolfi
Sound Design and Original Music: David Pinkard
Cast: Alton Alburo, Ashley Andrews, Phillip Lewis, Cody Magouirk, Ariel Rosen-Brown, and Jordan Swisher
More than just a play, THE BYSTANDER PROJECT also serves as a vehicle for student discussion and a catalyst for getting students and communities to talk about difficult issues surrounding bullying. Concrete Temple teaches workshops to students on theatrical adaptations and storytelling. The play features walk on roles for student actors, and comes with a study guide to help foster discussion about the performance. Additionally, students are encouraged to give voice to their ideas concerning bullying issues.
Why THE BYSTANDER PROJECT now?
School bullying statistics in the United States show that about one in four kids in the U.S. are bullied on a regular basis. The U.S. school bullying statistics–bullying in school as well as cyber-bullying–illustrate a huge problem with bullying in the American school system. In a recent SAFE survey, teens in grades sixth through 10th grade are the most likely to be involved in activities related to bullying. About thirty percent of students in the United States are involved in bullying on a regular basis either as a victim, bully or both. THE BYSTANDER PROJECT presents bullying realistically and is yet accessible, getting students to talk about the issues facing them.
WE LOVE THE PACER CENTER!
Teens and students, check out these great handouts from the PACER Center on what you can do to prevent bullying:
FOR MIDDLE/HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS – http://www.pacerteensagainstbullying.org/#/respond
FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS – http://www.pacer.org/bullying/resources/publications/
Don’t want to be a Bystander? Get Involved!
Want to stop bullying in your community or school? Below are a number of wonderful, world-changing organizations to contact about ways to make change in your community:
StopBullying.gov – provides information from various government agencies on how kids, teens, young adults, parents,educators and others in the community can prevent or stop bullying.
STRYVE – Striving to Reduce Youth Violence Everywhere – a national initiative, led by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which takes a public health approach to preventing youth violence before it starts.
Bullying Prevention Resource Guide – a site maintained by The Colorado Trust, which report on the findings of Colorado’s Bullying Prevention initiative. There are some wonderful resources as to how to stop bullying in your school.
The SHED project – a “purple ribbon” campaign, whose goal is to outwardly show bullied youth they are not alone, they are supported, and they have people they can turn to if they are being bullied or are in crisis and need help.
Bullybust – a nationwide bully prevention awareness effort launched by NSCC in 2009, BullyBust is designed to help students and adults become “upstanders”—people who stand up to bullying and become part of the solution to end harmful harassment, teasing, and violence in our nation’s schools.
National Bullying Prevention Center -learn about National Bullying Prevention Month, October, and sign a petition to help end bullying in schools!
International Bullying Prevention Association – The mission of the International Bullying Prevention Association is to support and enhance quality research based bullying prevention principles and practices in order to achieve a safe school climate, healthy work environment, good citizenship and civic responsibility.
Columbia County Students: The Columbia Arts and Humanities Project is a student journalism and website initiative that highlights music, visual arts, and performing arts activities in Columbia County and provides resources and connections for students interested in pursuing a career in the arts. Check them out at and find out how you can get involved in the arts of Columbia County!
Bully Police USA – a watchdog group that outline bullying laws, state-by-state. Know your rights!
It Gets Better Project – a video project to encourage Bullied Teens that life gets better as you grow older.
History
The Bystander Project, Concrete Temple Theatre’s anti-bullying play, was commissioned by Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation in 2011. It premiered November 2011 at M.C. Intermediate School, Hudson, NY. In 2012 it was performed March 2012 at Germantown Central School, Germantown, NY and then September 2012 at Ichabod Crane, Valatie, NY and again at M.C. Intermediate School, Hudson, NY. February 2013 The Bystander Project was performed at the New York Public Library: Bronx Library Center, Bronx, New York and at Taconic Hills Performing Arts Center, Taconic Hills Central School District, Craryville, New York.
February 2016, The Bystander Project, has been made student friendly, and the 6th Grade Class of Germantown Central School, Germantown, NY performed and presented The Bystander Project, with Concrete Temple Theatre.
Press
“I’m thrilled and grateful that the folks from Concrete Temple Theatre were inspired by my novel and that they believed in it enough to bring their unique talents to this important topic. The result is something new and different and powerful.”
James Preller, Author
Bystander
“Bullying is a regrettable reality in our schools. Teachers and administrators need all the help they can get to support our students’ understanding of it. The Bystander Project offers a creative and vivid way of opening the complex issues surrounding bullies, those who are accomplices, those who are victims and those who are bystanders. The Bystander Project gives students and teachers alike, a way into the issues of bullying that is accessible and real…and what’s more important, a positive way to address it.”
Jennifer Dowley, President
Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation
“Concrete Temple Theater produced a masterful work that… is a wonderful example of how the arts can deal with social issues, in this case, bullying, by engaging students from 4th to 9th grade.[Concrete Temple Theatre’s] Renee and Carlo are superb teaching artists. They worked with students to prepare them for performing in front of their peers and also for 300 adults at an evening performance. At a session following the play Renee, Carlo and four of their professional actors taught lessons to the entire Hudson 6th grade on how to adapt a scene from the novel into another artistic form. Renee, Carlo and Concrete Temple Theatre are fine examples of teaching artists who combine superb skills, talent, empathy and real knowledge of students’ needs. After 44 years of being an educator at arts-centered public schools, it is clear to me that Concrete Temple Theater stands out from the rest of collaborative organizations that I have worked with because of their attention to the needs of the community they are working with.”
Jeffrey Levitsky, Arts Education Consultant,
Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation
“The Bystander Project was FANTASTIC!! Carlo was so inspiring both as a person and as an artist, what he makes and his views on what he does. So cool. We were all in complete awe…”
“Thank you!”
Jordan,
Student, Hudson Middle School
“I loved being onstage with the professional actors. It [THE BYSTANDER PROJECT] taught me not to be afraid to talk to someone if you are in trouble and not to do mean things to people. Don’t be like Mary or Griffin; you have to stand up for people.”
Ireland
Student, Germantown Central School
“BYSTANDER is cool because you want to hang out with Eric; he’s just like you. I liked meeting Carlo and Renee and all the actors. Drew and Cody were my favorite characters. They are funny and they did the right thing.”
“Being a part of the play taught me to be confident and not to be silent when I see people being bullied.”
Kimball
Student, Germantown Central School
“I thought that being a part of THE BYSTANDER PROJECT is pretty cool because the book is very good, and so the play is very good, too. Concrete Temple was very nice to let us be a part of the play and to let us help with it. We learned to take a stand with bullying; in school, those that bully should be kicked out for it.”
Austin, age 11
Student, Germantown Central School
“Exciting! My experience of reading the book changed after the play because I could picture the characters and places–like the cafeteria!”
Evan, age 11
Student, Germantown Central School
Photos
Video
Workshops
1) “Bystander” Workshop – Adaptation: will introduce adaptation to middle school students and/or high school students. The workshop will lead students in creating their own adaptation of James Preller’s “Bystander” or a work relevant to current studies. Works created will be presented as short shadow puppet plays.
2) “Bystander” Workshop – Acting: for students who will be part of the ensemble student cast. Workshop will work on essential voice and acting techniques.
3) “Bystander” Workshop – Stagecraft: for students who will be involved in presenting the scenic elements of “The Bystander Project.”
4) Talkback with Audience or Special Focus Group.
5) Lecture/Demonstration: with excerpts from the show as examples. The Lecture/Demo can focus on: Anti-Bullying, Adaptation, Our Creative Process, etc.