The cast of BOOKFLEX (from left, back row) Sabrena McDonald, Shaun Drysdale, Dorraine Reid, Tesfa Edwards and Andrew Jones. In front are (from left) Damion Radcliffe, Natasha Griffiths and Omaall Wright. - Contributed

A group of trained drama educators is on a mission to make CXC literature easier for high school students through BOOKFLEX. The concept of BOOKFLEX was born in 2006 as part of the Independent Actors Movement's (IAM ) commitment to use theatre for social change; in this case, education.

Co-executive director of BOOKFLEX, Sabrena McDonald, said it is more than presenting the various literature works in a theatrical format.

"The ultimate goal is to widen the analytical capacity of CXC literature students who partake of BOOKFLEX, giving them more than a face value appreciation of literature," McDonald told The Sunday Gleaner. "Many students do not like to read and are doing CXC literature as compulsory subjects. Others face language barriers with Shakespearean or Southern accent texts. BOOKFLEX bridges that gap as it engages students in a process where they think, analyse and discuss, which is BOOKFLEX's slogan. At the end of the day, students will leave thinking 'I never thought of it that way' or 'Now I understand this particular theme in the text'."

Participate and understand

As a result, McDonald said students leave as 'spec-actors' and not spectators getting the opportunity to participate and understand what is being presented. BOOKFLEX features dramatised excerpts from Fences by August Wilson and the dramatic presentation of CXC literature syllabus poems, such as Epitaph by Dennis Scott and Carpenter's Complaint by Edward Baugh.

McDonald said BOOKFLEX covers at least a third of the CXC syllabus. While the syllabus remains the same for five years, BOOKFLEX will tackle a different set of the 15 poems each year until the syllabus changes. However, novels have not been added to the list.

At BOOKFLEX, the students are interwoven into the presentation as they are questioned by analysts during the performance, and students also question the characters about the themes, motifs and choices made during the story development.

"The overall benefit (for students) is a sharper eye for literary and dramatic detail," McDonald said.

Generally, she said, the students are able to understand the books better after the presentation. They also have the opportunity to argue their points and clarify any thematic concerns they may have.

With 90 per cent of I AM's members being trained drama educators and theatre artistes - all graduates of the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts, School of Drama - the dramatisations are real and convincing.

Teachers, many of whom work at traditional high schools in Kingston, include McDonald, Shaun Drysdale, Dorraine Reid, Tesfa Edwards, Andrew Jones, Damion Radcliffe, Natasha Griffiths and Omaall Wright.

The members of I AM have received many awards for various presentations at Tallawah Performing Arts Festival and Actor Boy Awards. In addition, McDonald and Radcliffe have received the Prime Minister's National Youth Award for Excellence.

Schools benefited

BOOKFLEX was officially started last year and during that time more than 1,000 students in Kingston, St Catherine, Clarendon and Manchester benefited. Schools visited are Immaculate Conception High and Wolmer's Girls. Among other schools to be visited are St Catherine High, Clarendon College and Ardenne High.

BOOKFLEX plays every Saturday in March at different high schools. However, schools can make requests for weekday presentations. Ticket costs $300 per student and can be purchased at the door.

McDonald said while BOOKFLEX has been successful, the tutors are always looking at ways to make the assimilation process easier.

"Expansion and improvement is a part of I AM"s modus operandi, so we aim to make the package better for students," McDonald said. "However, our research has shown that students and teachers prefer the way we analyse a cohort of literature pieces rather than a blanket sweep of bits and pieces of all literature pieces without much focus. In the future, a few excerpts from novels will be added to the repertoire."