Confidence in teaching and in theatre
What do a theatre and a classroom have in common? For Len Caspers, a student of Artisteducator in Theatre & Media, they’re both places where he feels at home. “Over the past four years, I’ve figured out what I want to do. I feel confident in front of the class and in my making. That gives me peace of mind.”
Luchtigheid opzoeken
Len did an internship at a secondary school, where he taught theatre classes and worked with pupils on a performance. At the same time, he developed his own graduation production, in which he explores themes such as identity, joy, and acceptance. Not a heavy-handed lesson, but a light, celebratory, and personal portrait about coming out and being allowed to be who you are.
“I see a lot of performances about sexuality that are heavy. I didn’t want to deny that, but I also wanted to show how beautiful it can be.”
De boodschap op het podium
For Len, theatre starts with connection, not only between maker and audience, but also between students, performers, and stories. “I think it’s important that people leave a performance thinking: I hadn’t looked at it that way before.” As a theatre maker, he works from stories that matter to him. As an educator, he brings the stories that live within a group into the classroom.
Leaving a signature
For Len, graduating means showing what you stand for. His finals work is his signature, a performance he’s using to step into the professional field. Not as an end point, but as a beginning.
“What I want to do later? I hope to keep teaching. And maybe have my own theatre company. As long as I’m busy, that’s what I love.”