Teatro Leyden uses theatre to break down language barriers for students in Northlake
NORTHLAKE, Ill. (CBS) -- As we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, a high school in the western suburbs with a growing Latino population is breaking down language barriers through theatre.
As CBS 2's Marybel González reported Thursday night, the school is also using the art form to connect with its students' families.
Whether it's in front of the limelight or behind the scenes, students at West Leyden High School in Northlake are using theatre to bring their community together.
"My experience with Teatro Leyden has been really, I guess, really life-changing," said West Leyden senior Rodolfo Torres.
Teatro Leyden is a bilingual theatre program that puts on performances in English and Spanish in Leyden High School District 212, where more than 68 percent of the student population identifies as Hispanic.
"I'm first native in Spanish and I had to learn English when I was 7," Torres said, "So I feel like it gives me a chance to portray like the different skills I have."
Daniela Castro is also a senior at West Leyden. She said performing in both languages has meant connecting with her family – who immigrated from Mexico.
"It just never occurred to me that I could do that," Castro said. "It feels so nice, because my parents really do struggle with English – and it's so nice for them to be able to understand everything I'm saying."
The initiative began nearly eight years ago.
"We noticed that our Hispanic and Latinx population were underserved in the community," said Adrianne Nix, art teacher and fine arts coordinator at West Leyden High School.
The program has gained popularity and several awards along the way, Nix said.
"I think it's grown our theatre-going community – bringing in more faces that weren't typically coming to see our shows before," Nix said, "and I feel like representation really matters."
Because some of the students and their families at West Leyden predominantly speak only Spanish, director Frank Bavone said, "it means a lot to them."
Bavone said Teatro Leyden is a way to encourage them to pursue their passion for the arts – regardless of language.
"The concept of theatre, and the concept of stage direction in general, is the story should be able to be understood no matter what the language is," Bavone said. "You want to be able to tell the story with just the action and just the idea and the atmosphere – the whole thing."
On Thursday when González visited, students were rehearsing to perform the Neil Simon classic "The Odd Couple."
"Which is basically like two polar opposite characters that are living with each other," said Torres.
In a sense, it also shows how there can be unity in diversity.