Article originally written in Spanish by Nixson Benitez, Spanish Writer

“Dream with Me” is a film devised by the students of the theatre department here at UNI. The film explores some of the issues exposed by COVID-19 that had previously been easy to ignore.

Professors of theatre Jim Bray and Gretta Berghammer, who are serving as the film’s directors, shared some of the important components of the process of creating it.

In the first week of the semester, Berghammer and Bray asked their students to bring in an event that occurred in 2020 which impacted them personally in some way. The two teachers also assigned the students to bring a headline that related to that event.

Many of the students brought headlines that were not even connected to COVID-19.

“The death of Kobe Bryant affected one of my students,” Berghammer said. “Other students have not been able to see their families for months. It is the degree of difference. We are using these headlines and building this as the semester progresses. (It is) the story they want to tell. ”

Now these students, many of whom are new to the world of theater, are taking their headlines and turning them into a movie to share not only with educators, but with students as well.

Many of the components of this film will use elements such as theatre of the oppressed, hip-hop theatre, documentary theatre and spoken word. Throughout the process, there will be special guests who will help lead these various components.

One of the guests invited by the directors is Rickerby Hinds, a national playwright, screenwriter and producer who will lead a hip-hop class.

“Rickerby Hinds is leading our hip-hop class on a video call,” Bray said. “It teaches the four hip-hop components, which are graffiti, MC, dance and DJ.”

Bray and Berghammer have also reached out to several other guests to beatbox, dance and show off some moves.

The set is being built by technical director Ronald Koinzan and associate professor Mark A. Parrot. Bray said it is “visually exciting.”

Berghammer and Bray hope that this film reaches educators and students, exposing and exploring different components of theater in this “collage of movement.” They hope this movie will make future students think of TheatreUNI on their list of schools.

“My dream is for students to come to the theatre and not only come, but participate with us,” said Bray. “The theatre is a community; come to the theatre and be part of it. Come, the water is very fresh! “

Berghammer agreed.

“Everything Jim said, and also, discovery,” she said.

The theater department does not yet have a release date when this film will be viewable to the public, but for more information, visit the Facebook page @TheatreUNI or email Bray at [email protected].