Staging of The Jungle Book Play
KRASS Theater Club in Eller, Germany: A Haven for Creative Children
The KRASS theater club, nestled in the heart of Düsseldorf-Eller, is a vibrant cultural association that offers a unique blend of artistic activities for children. Based in the Bürgerhaus Eller community center, KRASS has been actively engaging children since November, with new projects constantly being initiated.
The club's approach is intercultural, inclusive, and empowerment-oriented, fostering a safe space for children to explore their creativity. This is particularly evident in their recent project, "You belong to us," which focuses on refugee children, aiming to enhance their resilience, conflict handling skills, and sense of belonging through art and theater.
The KRASS theater club meets every Monday from 4 to 6 pm at Jägerstraße 31, where the children's spontaneous ideas are the driving force behind their improvisational theater performances. Deciding between many possibilities takes time due to the continuous development of new ideas.
Recently, the KRASS theater club staged a first-time production of "The Jungle Book." The ensemble of young actors, aged 6 to 12, had been preparing for the big day for seven months. The children designed the stage, costumes, and adapted dialogues for the production, with masks and stage design created by the children themselves.
The ten-year-old Anna, one of the actresses, admitted that it was her first time on a stage. The theater hall in the city library of Eller at Gertrudisplatz was well-attended on Wednesday (28.5.), as the five actresses danced, mimicked, and sang along, wearing masks that emphasized their characters from The Jungle Book.
KRASS encourages children to express their creativity with no specific goals or directions. The focus is on fostering their imagination, with minimal direction and inspiration provided. The club is open to all children, and participation is free.
For more information about KRASS and its various offers, visit their website. The club was introduced to Anna through her mother, and during the production of The Jungle Book, it was supported by Ana Peres, Zeynep Alpay, and Africa Peres.
In summary, KRASS theater club is a community-driven organization that emphasizes artistic empowerment, cultural diversity, and free access, particularly through theater and creative projects for children, including vulnerable groups like refugee children.
Social-media posts about KRASS Theater Club's production of "The Jungle Book" showcased the children's creativity and teamwork, attracting attention and support from the local community.
As a platform for entertainment, KRASS Theater Club's projects often involve interactive workshops, encouraging children to engage with social-media platforms to share their experiences and art.
