Adam Versényi’s Theater in Latin America discusses the vital role of the arts, specifically theater, in educating youth. It discusses the Cultural Mission Programs created by Mexican Secretary of Public Education José Vasconcelos that were launched to carry out a “holy crusade for civilization” (Versényi 103). Vasconcelos argued that by educating the population, he was redeeming them from ignorance and allowing them to live a more fulfilling, satisfying life. This program was responsible for using theater as a device for formulating a suitable curriculum for the rural communities in an unfavorable socioeconomic condition after the Mexican Revolution. It served as a vehicle for the country’s social change.
In the introduction of her book Teatro y poemas infantiles, Becerra Celis (1906-1973) urges “let us properly prepare our children by converting dramatization into a scholastic means of artistic expression” (106). I value her clear stance on the potential for theater to empower, regardless of the level of artistry in the referenced plays.
This perspective strikingly differs from that proposed by Wells Fargo this past week. The banking company’s new advertising campaign for their upcoming Teen Financial Education Day implies that young people should pursue a career in the sciences and avoid the arts. The ad reads “A ballerina yesterday. An engineer today.” and “An actor yesterday. A botanist today.” This campaign has received backlash from the theater community, causing the bank company to issue an apology.
