Why I Love WiseWrite

Katie Puglisi talks about her love and appreciation for The Rep’s WiseWrite Program

Katie Puglisi

No question about it, WiseWrite is one of my favorite events of the year.  I have been involved with WiseWrite ever since I began working at The Rep—this is my sixth festival.  This program was started by our late Associate Artistic Director, Susan Gregg, who once said that she thought WiseWrite was one of the most important things she had ever achieved.  Just looking at the children’s faces as they watch the plays being performed, I have to agree with her.

A lot of these children have never seen live theatre before, much less their own works being brought to life.  WiseWrite is a collaboration with Springboard, whose teaching artists do a wonderful job of going into the schools and showing the children how fun writing can be.  The process of playwriting not only teaches them important linguistic skills, but it also helps them communicate in new and exciting ways and encourages teamwork.  The students are always so supportive of each others’ works, cheering and clapping at the beginning and end of each piece.  The proud smiles on their faces light up the room.  They have learned, through this year-long process, that creativity and imagination can open up a whole world of opportunities for them.

As an actor who performs in all types of plays, I have to say that no theatrical endeavor has been more gratifying than performing in WiseWrite for the students.  You want to make this as wonderful an experience as possible for them—you know that the work you are doing onstage is having a great impact on their lives.  And it is just plain fun!  When else do you get to play various forest animals or a pencil or even a Martian?  Whereas a lot of times actors can over-think their parts, these plays force you to fully embrace your given circumstances and just go with it!

I am also always amazed at the important lessons that are taught in each play.  The students approach their pieces with such honesty and abandon—as an actor, it is so refreshing to work on these plays with characters who literally say everything they think.  Some students excel with their wit and cleverness; others make you take pause to think about the important theme(s) in their pieces.  WiseWrite is such a giving process—I find that I learn just as much from the students as they do from us.  Even if the students do not necessarily go on to pursue the arts, you hope that you have at least fostered an appreciation that will help color their decisions and created an experience that will live in their minds as a positive example of what the power of imagination can achieve.

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