A group of 30 middle and high school students, in grades 9-11, who study in the MABAR, ETGAR and Eyal Arts classes, including new immigrants, participated in the municipal project “Curtain Call”, in which they wrote a play based on the successful educational film, “The Wave”.

The film, made in 1981, is the story of an American history teacher, who conducted a daring experiment in his class, in order to demonstrate to his students the atmosphere in Nazi Germany.  The teacher declared himself as the leader of a new movement named “The Wave”, which believed in power, discipline and superiority.  His students were swept up in the movement and became very influenced by it.  This taught both the teacher and his students an important lesson.

During the past six months, the students met with the group’s facilitators, social workers and professionals in the field of the performing arts, and as they concentrated on the film, they also became involved in subjects relevant to their own lives, such as social pressure, social acceptance, self image, self confidence, criticism, independent thinking, etc.  This year, three students who had completed the course in previous years, took part in the project as young counselors.

The Curtain Call Theater is part of the program for youth personal empowerment, created by the Social Services Division in cooperation with Keren Roi Lo Echsar, designed to provide young people with tools to cope with their everyday life, to strengthen their self confidence and self image.  The project, in its 4th year, is very successful!

The play was produced and directed by Talik Ninio, Assistant Director: Raz Yisraeli; Musical Director:  Doron Tzur; Choreographer:  Dikla Shmuel-Katifa; Set Design: Gaston Perpiniel Association.

The play is scheduled for Monday, 12.4.10 at 20:30 at Yad LaBanim and the following day, Tuesday, 13.4.10 at 20:30.  Tickets are NIS 30.  In attendance will be Mayor Nahum Hofree and Deputy Mayors Attorney Orit Sayad Yitzchaki and Ronit Weintraub and Aryeh Friedman as well as City Manager, Avi Laufer; city council members, and division directors.  The play will also be put on for middle and high school students.  For tickets:  09-7610406/9.

Mayor Nahum Hofree:  “The Raanana Municipality invests a great deal in programs for youth empowerment, in order to provide them with tools to strengthen their abilities.  I congratulate this project, which enables youth to integrate into the community and at school in the best and most appropriate manner.