Bertolt Brecht believed that we should treat the Theatre as a laboratory. He emphasized having an objective distance between observer and actor, to remind the audience that what they are witnessing is, in fact, an illusion. Doing so allows an audience to watch how an event unfolds, and what decisions the characters make that lead there. We invited our audiences to examine this story, we asked that they judge the morality of the characters and their decisions, and we hope we taught them something about what it means to be a human being in this world.

The Caucasian Chalk Circle is about love without respite. A young woman fights against the effects of a corrupted society to save the life of a child. During a revolution, Grusha, a house maid, picks up a baby that is left behind by the royal family. She nurtures this child as though it were her own. Grusha journeys up a mountain, crosses a broken bridge, evades malicious soldiers and eventually loses her fiancé because of her commitment to the child. Staring in the face of all of the obstacles Brecht presents, Grusha chooses to do good despite what it costs her. Brecht teaches us the true meaning of courage and asks us to follow Grusha’s example — to be radically humane in the face of an inhumane world.

This free touring production was performed exclusively for Miami-Dade Public School students and at community spaces (African Heritage Cultural Arts Center & Opa-Locka Community Development). Served 5200 students from 22 schools with 27 performances.