Amukis: An Anti-bullying Touring Show

Amukis is a show that my company created to perform for elementary schools in the Davis county school district. We started this piece from scratch with the purpose of conveying a message of anti bullying to elementary school kids. My director, Kyle Lewis, pushed the 10 of us high school kids in the company to create scenes of what we percieve bullying to be. After weeks of experimenting, discussing, and improvising, we had an idea. Kyle turned this idea into a script, and we turned this script into a fun, engaging show that children would understand. Amukis and the Donkleberry Suitcase is the name of the show about a young girl who lived with the circus and longed for a friend. One day, she leaves the circus and walks right into a school where a different kid bullies her in each class. At the end of the show, Amukis dissapears and we ask the kids for their thoughts about the play and bullying in general.

Performing this show for elementary kids was truly a rewarding experience. We went to some under priveledged schools where the kids had never seen theatre before. These performances were like nothing I've ever done. The kids would laugh and gasp throughout the performance. At one point, I talk to a character that exists in front of me in the distance and his face is projected on the screen behind me. When I talked forward though towards the back of the gym, the kids turned their heads to see if someone was there. It was really cute! Overall, being a part of this show was an awesome experience and I was able to positively contribute to my community.