Educational Arts Resource Services, Inc., a company founded and run by Hal Ryder (Faculty, Theater Department), was invited to do a project in Peshawar, Pakistan this past summer, entitled Young Tribal Voices. Professor Ryder and Cornish alumna and Theater Department Faculty, Kerry Skalsky (Theater ’89), spent five weeks working with students from the University of Peshawar and Kohat to create and present radio plays dealing with social issues, intended for broadcast into the tribal areas in NW Pakistan.
The workshop culminated with a live radio broadcast in Pashto, that included four plays written and performed by the students, a professional radio MC, and live music in front of a live audience. After the project, James K. Glassman, the new undersecretary of state for public diplomacy, mentioned the project as an initiative in the war of ideas. The project has been funded for the students to write 52 more plays and broadcast them in the next year. Hal Ryder spent a week this month in Washington D.C. debriefing the project with Department of State officials and discussing future options.
On Friday October 24th, Kerry Skalsky will direct a reading of these plays in English at the Cornish Main Campus Center. Chris Tilzer, who was with the group in Pakistan and works at a Seattle area radio station, will be in charge of recording the program. This recording will be posted with the Pasto broadcast on the web at youngtribalvoices.com.
Friday, October 24, 12pm – Presentation on Young Tribal Voices, Theater Department Faculty Hal Ryder
Friday, October 24, 8pm – English reading of plays from Young Tribal Voices project, directed by Kerry Skalsky
Cornish Main Campus: Studio 102
1000 Lenora Street
