ISTA TaPS PERSPECTIVES gives IB DP Theatre students the unique opportunity to work intensively with a series of 4 current and practising theatre professionals who each specialise in:

Collaboratively creating original theatre
Staging play texts
Exploring world theatre traditions
Performing theatre theory

Working with IB theatre students from different schools, DP Theatre students will engage with each of these specialists as well as having a workshop with an IB DP Theatre specialist. The IB DP Theatre specialist will help the students to reflect on and consider how to apply their learning from TaPS to their own IB DP course. This gives students the opportunity to frame and make the most of each of their sessions with the professional artists.

Primarily working with specialist artists, usually sourced from cultural organisations where the TaPS will be held, offers us the opportunity to work with and contribute to the cultural ecology of the places where TAPS takes place.

ISTA TaPS Perspectives provides students with an understanding of how the syllabus areas of the IB DP Theatre course are applied to real-life, current theatre practice. It acts as a launchpad for students’ explorations of theatre to further pursue once back in their own schools.

Working with DP Theatre students from different schools broadens perspectives, forges friendships and enhances all learning.

Master classes
All teacher chaperones will take part in two master classes (MCs) focusing on a specific aspect of Theatre.

MCs for this TaPS Perspectives will be confirmed by June 2022.

Theatre
All participants will attend two professional theatre performances.

The productions on offer at this TaPS will be confirmed by June 2022

Download the TaPS perspectives fact sheet here.

School address
Prem Tinsulanonda International School
234 Moo 3, Huay Sai, Mae Rim,
Chiang Mai 50180,
Thailand

School website

The event starts at 9:00am on Thursday, 6th October 2022
The event finishes at 3:00pm on Saturday, 8th October 2022

Event Manager
Keriann O’Rourke

For participants
Booking opens: 28th March 2022
Registration opens 1st June 2022
Registration closes 24th August 2022

Participant Travel information is due at the time of registration.
All final event information will be available for participants 2-3 weeks prior to the event.

For ISTA artists
The artist team will be activated 12 weeks prior to the event.
Artist travel details are due 10 weeks prior to the event. (for local artists only)

Theatre performance #1

Theatre performance title: Pieng Buhn (Wings)
Company name: performed by Makhampom Theatre
Date and time: Thursday 6th October 2022
Venue: On campus

About the performance
“The base colour represents the sky. The sparkles represent the stars. The line in the back represents the horizon. The large patch up to the neck represents the path to heaven. The zigzagging steps represent the stairway to heaven. The dangling bits on the sleeves represent the wings of an angel.”

This is the description of the clothes worn by the people of Dara-Ang, as spoken by ‘Kam’, a Dara-Ang woman.

Kam is not a professional actor, nor has she had prior acting experience. Being a stateless person in Thailand since she was very young, Kam was once arrested in 2004 for forest encroachment, amongst many hardships and injustice in life. Now she is a village committee, as well as chairwoman of the Indigenous Women’s Network of Thailand (IWNT). In this piece, Kam works with Makhampom Theatre from Chiang Mai province, in the northern region of Thailand.

The story of Pieng Buhn – meaning “wings” in Dara Ang language – is a story blending the real world and the spiritual world of angels. This performance is an open journal of Kam’s experience, starting as a girl who was displaced due to war in Myanmar, took refuge in Thailand, and eventually ended up in another kind of war in which she was seen as ‘the other‘.

About the theatre company
Makhampom is a Thai theatre group working to build theatre as people’s media. Founded in 1980, the group has grown into a large collective of volunteers. We have a team in bangkok at our Makhampom Art Space and another team in Chiang Dao at our Makhampom Living Theatre.

We wear many hats, that include: developing Thailand’s youth theatre movment; building a pool of professional theatre activists; creating new contemporary Thai theatre forms; transforming Thai society around issues of conflict, discrimination, freedom , and people’s justice; having a long-term impact in communities in Chiang Dao; transferring our knowledge and resources through international exchange, hosting, and collaborations; and running a social enterprise program to survive into the future and support young artists.

Website: https://www.makhampom.net/en

Theatre performance #2

Theatre performance title: The River Story
Company name: performed by Lanyim Theatre Group
Date and time: Thursday 6th October 2022
Venue: On campus

About the performance
The River Story is an analogical story of the impacts of mega projects that happen on people’s lives along the Mekong river banks. This performance was first made in 2020 as a part of the project Mekong Storytelling Phase 1 supported by the U.S. Department of State and performed in Mekong communities and schools in the north and northeast of Thailand.

It is now being remade to raise awareness of this issue in young people living in urban areas far from Mekong river banks.

About the theatre company
Lanyim Theatre Group is a collaborative group of theatre makers who come together to share their passion for theatre performance.

We start our explorations with questions:
“Are theatre and social issues the same thing?”
“How can we communicate these social issues using theatre arts?”
or “What does a theatre process mean to a society?”
“How helpful is it to communicate social issues?”

Lanyim Theatre group creates performances but our main focus is on the theatre process rather than a finished piece of work. We are passionate about experiential theatre that explores concepts through a devising process.

We strongly believe that devising together and collaborating equally is better than a top-down process with everyone’s contributions being equally considered. The more we discuss in our group what “theatre” is we learn that the ‘body‘ is a very useful tool to tell a story. If everything is cut out; costumes, dialogue, the language barrier – the only thing left is our body. We are also interested in creating low-cost productions. We minimize costs by sharing our resources openly between groups which also enhances the collaborative spirit of our work.

Collaboratively creating original theatre and Specialist workshop for teachers
Teerawat Mulvilai (Kage) – (B-floor devising method)
B-Floor Theatre
https://www.bfloortheatre.org/

Exploring world theatre traditions
Benjamin Tardif (Khon Theatre)
Independent artist
https://www.bangkokpost.com/life/social-and-lifestyle/426855/behind-the-thai-mask

IB Diploma Perspectives
Darren Scully

Performing theatre theory
Ap – Piyashat Sinpimonboon with Eye – Prapassorn Konmuang assisting (Theatre for social change, devised theatre)
Makhampom Theatre
https://www.makhampom.net/en

Staging Play texts
Jitti Chompee – (Choreography, Site-specific, Dance traditions)
18 Monkeys Dance Theatre
http://www.18monkeysdancetheatre.com/

ISTA Rep
Malina Patel

All participants should bring the following:

• your e-programme on an electronic device (or printed)
• a refillable water bottle
• pens, pencils and paper for note taking
• *optional – tablet or laptop for note taking
• Wear comfortable clothing that allows for practical theatre work. Please note: All visitors must maintain appropriate dress around campus and whilst in Chiang Mai (be aware of exposed shoulders, bare midriffs, shorts above knee length, moving around in swim wear etc – this is unacceptable in local Thai culture and not allowed on campus).

Additionally, teachers/chaperones should bring:

• any relevant insurance, medical documents;
• contact lists for parents in case of emergency.

Each workshop has its own specific requirements. Please be sure you are prepared for each workshop accordingly.

Collaboratively creating original theatre

• This is a practical workshop, please wear loose-fitting, comfortable clothing that you are able to move freely in.

Staging play texts

• Please read through Text to learn for Staging Play Texts workshop document.
• Select one of the texts to memorise ahead of the workshop. Please come to the workshop with the selected text already learned by heart.
• Participants must wear comfortable clothing that they can move freely in for practical work, and bring a loose fitting, dark coloured shirt (cotton, linen or other light material).

Exploring world theatre traditions

• Students should bring pens and paper to take notes.
• Participants must wear comfortable clothing that they can move freely in for practical work.
• For a full experience, will be provided with fabric to wear as a traditional long loin cloth usually used in Khon training. Participants should wear some kind of compression shorts, training short tights, boxers or athletic shorts to wear underneath. Please wear this to the session (don’t bring it along to change into when you get there as this will take time out of the workshop). It is also an option to stay in loose-fitting clothing but wearing the traditional cloth will add to the authenticity of the experience.
• The workshop will also be conducted barefoot for the whole session.
• Please have a bottle of water to bring on site, so that you can drink it if needed without having to leave the workshop space.

Performing theatre theory

• This is a practical workshop, please wear loose-fitting, comfortable clothing that you are able to move freely in.

IB DP Theatre perspectives

• Students should come with loose fitting clothes for physical work
• Students should preferably bring a digital device for taking notes and capturing moments; and for accessing digital materials
• Students should bring their journals in whatever form

Teacher specialist workshop

• This is a practical workshop, please wear loose-fitting, comfortable clothing that you are able to move freely in.

Certification
A template student participation certificate will be available to all teachers in charge of the trip through the resource folder that will be shared 1 week prior to the event. Upon request we can also send a certificate for teachers to endorse their professional development participation. Please email your Event Manager for this after the event.

About Thailand
Thailand is well known for its welcoming hospitality, friendly people, colourful culture and cuisine. Chiang Mai is called the ‘Rose of the North’ and was once the capital of the Lanna Kingdom. The city was founded over 720 years ago and the name Chiang Mai translates to ‘New City’. The rice paddies, fertile mountains and lush jungle provide stunning natural scenery, as well as the rich history and culture found throughout this unique part of Thailand.

Weather
October is the tail end of the rainy season. Expect rain in the afternoon, but the temperature will be warm or hot in the daytime.

Spending money
– Please bring Thai Baht with you and exchange in your country before arriving in Thailand.
– There is a small shop on campus selling snacks etc that participants are welcome to use. Please bring about 500THB to 1000THB for this. There is an ATM on campus accepting most cards if more money is needed (cash is dispensed in THB).

Packing list
– Please bring loose comfortable clothing such as shorts and t-shirts. All participants must maintain appropriate dress around campus and whilst in Chiang Mai (be aware of exposed shoulders, bare midriffs, shorts above knee length, moving around in swimwear etc – this is unacceptable in local Thai culture and not allowed on campus).
– Rooms used for the event will have air conditioning, and evenings might be cooler so also bring long sleeve tops and trousers.
– There are mosquitoes in the early morning and evenings, please use long sleeves/trousers at those times and bring bug spray.
– Bedding and towels are provided by the host school. Pool towels are not provided.

Early arrivals

The campus is large so any groups arriving early can relax in accommodation, or take a walk around the peaceful grounds.

Swimming – Teacher supervision of students at the pool is mandatory. The pool is available for ISTA groups to use but only early evening from 5:30pm-6:30pm due to the existing school swimming program. Click here for the pool rules and waiver. Any schools wanting pool access must have signed and returned this waiver in advance to the Head of the Visiting School Program (VSP), Michael Cumes.

Download: Traidhos Pool Rules – Chiang Mai TaPS 2022

Download: Traidhos Pool Agreement – Chiang Mai TaPS 2022

Gym facilities – An indoor gym with basketball/volleyball courts etc are available for use from 5:30-6:30pm only.

Village walk – There is a local village at the back of campus that can be accessed via the school’s farm. There is a temple and some lovely views of the rice paddies and mountains. Students should be accompanied by their tachers if they want to visit the village. Note: Often there can be noisy (and seemingly aggressive) dogs at the temple that are normally harmless.

Out of bound areas
Areas such as classrooms/playgrounds/sports facilities during the school day (8:00am – 4:30pm and also including after school activities) are out of bounds, as well boarding and staff accommodation zones should also be avoided.

View a map of the campus here: Traidhos:Prem School Map ISTA – Chiang Mai TaPS 2022

Late departures

For groups with a possible later departure, the timing will determine what you can do with the additional time, if anything, and you may prefer to relax after a busy few days at the event. There might be an option of an activity or trip somewhere if time permits. If you would like to add on any additional experiences do let me know and I can put you in contact with a representative from the Visiting Schools Programme in Chiang Mai to make those arrangements directly.

Arrivals for schools
Groups will be met at the airport and welcomed to campus on arrival, settled into accommodation and given a tour of spaces used during the event. Please look for a school representative waiting for you in the arrival hall with your school name on a sign.

Departures for schools
Groups will be assigned vans and be taken to the airport with departure times advised during registration.

Arrivals for artists
For artists arriving by air – Drivers will meet artists at the airport carrying a sign with the artist’s name. Artists will then be transferred back to campus and our staff will show artists to their rooms and provide a tour of campus and key areas used for the event.

For artists who are driving/taxi – Please advise the ISTA Rep via Whatsapp of your expected arrival so that she can assist you with greeting you.

Artists are meeting at 1:00pm on Wednesday 5th October for lunch in the school cafeteria.

Airport departures for artists
Artists will be assigned vans/drivers and be taken to the airport with departure times advised in advance.

For artists who are driving/taxi – You may leave after the artist meeting after the event.

Masks are optional on campus.
However each participant should bring masks with them and wear them whilst in transit to Thailand and in other high-risk situations.

Please continue to check the latest advisories and requirements for entry to Thailand.

On campus testing is available if any participant would like to test themselves for Covid-19 whilst they are at the event. This can be arranged and the visiting participant would need to cover the cost of test kits.
The school medical centre is at the disposal of visiting schools and their nursing team will be on hand to assist as needed.

Visiting Teacher/Chaperone responsibilities for managing students on Traidhos Campus and during VSP Trips
The Visiting Schools Program kindly asks and expects visiting teachers/chaperones to wear an identification tag at all times (supplied by VSP) whilst on campus and to be responsible for their group in the following ways:

Behaviour of Students

• Escort /oversee students at all activities around the campus and during mealtimes. Please note that students are not allowed in Prem International School areas or buildings, boarding students accommodation, junior school playgrounds and the main sports field – these are strictly out of bounds.
• Maintain overall responsibility for their students safety & behaviour during all activities on and off campus, and providing a visible presence at all times.
• Supervise students in the swimming pool, and grass field areas at all times if these facilities are available. Students cannot engage in activities in these areas without visiting staff.
• Ensure that students lock their valuables away each day before departing for activities, either in their suitcase, or in the locker located in teacher’s rooms. Traidhos is not responsible for any loss of personal items whilst on campus, or out on activities

In keeping with the Traidhos Community’s policy it is the responsibility of everyone to actively maintain a cigarette and drug-free campus.

• In the event of students participating in a Visiting School Program being found in the possession of drugs, tobacco, cigarettes or alcohol, VSP will work to assist visiting teachers to support and implement their own school policy in dealing with the issue.
• The possession of martial arts equipment and any item that could be identified as a weapon is not permitted on campus.

The Visiting Schools Program reserves the right to request that students are taken out of a trip if behaviour is judged as being harmful to any of the Traidhos Community.

Respect for Others

• Ensure students maintain appropriate dress around campus and whilst in Chiang Mai (be aware of exposed shoulders, bare midriffs, shorts above knee length, moving around in swim wear etc – this is unacceptable in local Thai culture and not allowed on campus)
• Reinforce the 10pm quiet campus rule, respecting that Traidhos is a shared campus with both paying residents, teachers, other visiting schools and boarding students
• Patrol as needed after lights out to ensure students remain quietly in their own rooms
• Manage student behaviour, supporting VSP staff and subcontracted staff especially towards guides, drivers, housekeeping staff etc
• Ensure groups are on time, in the right place with the right dress and equipment for the activity

Care of Campus

• Notify VSP staff of student or teacher illness, loss of belongings, problems with accommodation
• Support Traidhos to be more energy efficient and not leave unused rooms with air con and lights on
• Support Traidhos in caring for furniture, equipment, gardens (Please note that all breakages will need to be paid for)
• Encourage students to take out rubbish, to remove shoes before entering accommodation and to leave floors clear and rooms tidy
• Check rooms at the end of stay for lost property, tidiness
• Complete a teacher/chaperone feedback form at the end of your trip and return to VSP staff

*For any student who needs to carry an epi pen for allergic reactions, there should be qualified visiting staff accompanying that student at all times during the trip who can administer the drug*

All participants and ISTA artists will be staying on site. Visiting students will stay in large apartments with multiple rooms on the Prem Tinsulanonda International School campus.

Teachers will stay in shared apartments, each with their own bedroom and en-suite bathroom. Apartments will have WiFi, air-conditioning and a kitchenette. It will be expected that visiting teachers will chaperone students in the dorms when not in sessions.

It is important that schools inform ISTA if they require a 4th night stay as soon as they can confirm.

ISTA artists will stay in shared apartments with their own bedroom and en-suite bathroom.

For a look at the facilities please visit the school’s website here.

Meals
The majority of meals will be provided as part of this TaPS event as outlined below.

For participants
Participants are advised to arrive into Chiang Mai by evening on Wednesday, 5th October 2022 and should not plan to leave the venue before 3:00pm on Saturday, 8th October 2022

Transfer information is TBC.

Please note:
International travel should be planned accordingly.
It is the responsibility of the schools/participants to ensure they have the appropriate visas to enter Thailand.
Schools/participants are responsible for ensuring they meet any COVID-19 travel regulations as required.

For ISTA artists
Non local Artists are advised to arrive in Chiang Mai by evening on Wednesday, 5th October 2022/ and should not plan to leave the venue before 3:30pm on Saturday, 8th October 2022. We plan a standing ovation session for artists following the close of the event.

Local Artists are advised to arrive at the venue no later than 30 minutes before their session starts,

Please note:
International travel should be planned accordingly.
Please ensure you have the appropriate visa to enter Thailand.

Students

Registration fees
Member schools – GBP £370
Non member schools – GBP £444
Host School: GBP £300 for the first 15 students; GBP £370 thereafter

Surcharges
ISTA T-Shirt: GBP £12

3 night package transportation and accommodation costs – GBP £235 per student
This is for 3 nights (in shared accommodation).
This includes airport transfers and all meals/snacks.

4 night package transportation and accommodation costs – GBP £275 per student
This is for 4 nights (in shared accommodation).
This includes airport transfers and all meals/snacks.

Total cost per student
Member schools – GBP £382 plus transfers and accommodation.
Non member schools – GBP £456 plus transfers and accommodation.
Host School: GBP £312 for the first 15 students; GBP £382 thereafter.

Teachers/chaperones

Registration fees
GBP £100

Surcharges
ISTA t-shirt – GBP £12.

3 night package transportation and accommodation costs – GBP £235 per teacher
This is for 3 nights (separate bedrooms in shared teacher accommodation).
This includes airport transfers and all meals/snacks.

4 night package transportation and accommodation costs – GBP £275 per teacher
This is for 4 nights (separate bedrooms in shared teacher accommodation).
This includes airport transfers and all meals/snacks.

Total cost per teacher/chaperone
GBP £112 plus transfers and accommodation.

Please note:
Registration opens 1st June 2022
Registration closes 24th August 2022

All registration fees and surcharges will be invoiced once the registration window has closed.

We appreciate that some schools will already have confirmed students so please register your group as soon as possible from this date onwards.

All registrations must be submitted by 24th August 2022, to allow for finalising theatre tickets and where applicable, catering, transportation etc. ahead of the event.

A non-refundable, non-transferable deposit will be sent with the booking confirmation; this amount will be deducted from your final invoice.

The deposit will be as follows:
For bookings of 1 – 10 students GBP £500.
For bookings of 11 – 15 students GBP £750.
For bookings of 16 or more students GBP £1,000.

Please refer to our event terms and conditions for details of late registration/cancellation fees.