December 2011

Alex ( now known as Mr. W to his students ) is currently entering his successful fourth month as the new full-time Theater Teacher at P.S. 249 The Caton School in Prospect Park South, Brooklyn off the Church Avenue Q/B subway stop. After an exhaustive job search over the summer, he secured the position at this highly-rated NYC Department of Education elementary school and currently conducts Theater classes for over 400 diverse urban students every week in grades K through 3. Theater at The Caton School is part of a comprehensive arts education program for every grade and skill level, and includes classes in Visual Arts and Dance. Alex is hard at work teaching students the joys of  Theater and Drama : Improvisation, Movement, Playwriting, Vocal Technique, Set Design, and of course: Puppet-Making!

DonorsChoose and Kickstarter sites are in the works to help establish funding for present and future classroom activities.

More info to follow!

August 17, 2011
Alex was recently featured in Brooklyn Arts Council's E-NEWS ARTS IN EDUCATION SPOTLIGHT for his work with the Empowering Youth to Excel and Succeed (EYES) Program Summer Project at CUNY-Medgar Evers College in Crown Heights, Brooklyn! Read all about it below:

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BAC Teaching Artist Alex Weider

ARTS IN EDUCATION SPOTLIGHT: Conflict Resolution through Theater

This summer BAC’s Arts in Education (AIE) program partnered with the E.Y.E.S. (Empowering Youth to Excel and Succeed) mentoring research initiative at CUNY - Medgar Evers College to provide conflict resolution skill development through theater. BAC Teaching Artist Alex Weider is leading the project. The E.Y.E.S. program is an initiative designed to provide developmental and support services that reduce at-risk behaviors of participating youth 13 – 16 years old. BAC AIE staff and Alex have collaborated with the E.Y.E.S. leadership to design a 6 week program, meeting 2 hours per day, twice a week, for 35 youth with the goal developing participant’s life skills for recognizing conflict and applying non-violent solutions. The staged reading of a student-written script grounded in personal interviews will be presented to families on August 18. Throughout the process, students have also improved their communication skills through verbal and non-verbal theater games, interviewing, and presenting.

Alex in an actor, coach, and educator certified to teach theater to K-12 students. He is passionate about both theater as an art form and as an avenue for youth development and social justice.

June 1, 2011
Alex is now appearing in a commercial for the Brita Filter for Good initiative to reduce bottled water waste, now on Sundance Channel!

Click here to watch:

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May 1, 2011

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And speaking of bikes, Alex cycled over 50 miles on a sunny May 1st in the annual TD Bank 5-Boro Bike Tour! The route included Brooklyn, Manhattan, the Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island. With the help of much Gatorade, many bananas, and an extra helping of peanut butter, the ride was a huge thrill! For one day a year, New York City bikers are allowed to ride car-free on the FDR Drive, Verrazano Bridge, and the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway. Thousands of New York City bike riders do the tour every year, and the event also helped to raise awareness of bike lanes across the city. It was amazing to view the city while riding on urban highways, across bridges, and underneath overpasses. Alex hopes to do it again, and is on the lookout for future NYC rides.

2010
Alex was interviewed by the national peforming arts weekly Backstage as part of the article "By the Books," on the importance of good acting books for your training, craft, and career.

Click here to read the digital version:

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