STAGE TUBE: Vali Forrister and Act Like a GRRRL
By: Jeffrey Ellis
Vali Forrister, producing artistic director of Actors Bridge Ensemble, talks about Act Like a GRRRL.
Act Like a GRRRL, Inc., is an autobiographical writing and performance program for teenage girls. Based in Nashville, the program offers space and support for young women to gain a public voice, work with professional female mentors in a variety of creative fields, and foster friendships with peers from diverse backgrounds.
Rooted in the exercise of writing to articulate personal experiences and beliefs, the program is augmented by guest artist workshops in performance, dance, songwriting and visual media. The program culminates in a public performance created and enacted entirely by the GRRRLs!Because the program promotes the incorporation of a system of positive values into participant's everyday life, the girls report that their participation in ALAG has impacted who they are at school. Specifically, girls report a decreased tolerance for bullying, a greater appreciation for diversity, and a desire to create connection across differences. These girls become leaders rather than followers and have an increased ability to listen to their own inner guidance.
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