Praise for THE BYSTANDER PROJECT

“I’m thrilled and grateful that the folks for the Concrete Temple Theatre were inspired by my novel, and that they believed in it enough to bring their unique talents to this important topic. The result is something new, and different, and powerful.”

James Preller, Author
Bystander

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“Bullying is a regrettable reality in our schools. Teachers and administrators need all the help they can get to support our students’ understanding of it. The Bystander Project offers a creative and vivid way of opening the complex issues surrounding bullies, those who are accomplices, those who are victims and those who are bystanders. The Bystander Project gives students and teachers alike, a way into the issues of bullying that is accessible and real…and what’s more important, a positive way to address it.”

Jennifer Dowley, President
Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation

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“Concrete Temple Theater produced a masterful work that… is a wonderful example of how the arts can deal with social issues, in this case, bullying, by engaging students from 4^th to 9^thgrade… [Concrete Temple Theatre's] Renee and Carlo are superb teaching artists. They worked with students to prepare them for performing in front of their peers and also for 300 adults at an evening performance. At a session following the play Renee, Carlo and four of their professional actors taught lessons to the entire Hudson 6^thgrade on how to adapt a scene from the novel into another artistic form.

“Renee, Carlo and the Concrete Temple Theater are the fine examples of teaching artists who combine superb skills, talent, empathy and real knowledge of students’ needs.

“After 44 years of being an educator at arts-centered public schools it is clear to me that Concrete Temple Theater stands out from the rest of collaborative organizations that I have worked with because of their attention to the needs of the community they are working with.”

Jeffrey Levitsky,Arts Education Consultant,
Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation

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“The Bystander Project was FANTASTIC!! Carlo was so inspiring both as a person and as an artist, what he makes and his views on what he does. So cool. We were all in complete awe…”

“Thank you!”

Jordan,

Student, Hudson Middle School

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“I loved being onstage with the professional actors. It [THE BYSTANDER PROJECT] taught me not to be afraid to talk to someone if you are in trouble and not to do mean things to people. Don’t be like Mary or Griffen; you have to stand up for people.”

Ireland