C.A.S.T. Seniors

Creative Aging Senior Theatre

In January 2023, OCT began weekly classes in the community for Senior theatre. It is an outreach program available to anyone in the Lee- Russell County communities ages 50 and up. Senior theatre creates numerous benefits and opportunities for seniors, such as improving memorization and cognitive skills, learning about oneself through character study and story telling, providing camaraderie, fostering social skills, setting and reaching goals, and gaining appreciation for another's work.

Senior theatre empowers, re-kindles, motivates, and inspires seniors to become more socially, mentally, physically, culturally, emotionally, and psychologically active and viable in the community. Evidence from similar programs around the country has proven that seniors who participate in theatre improve their health, improve their ADL's (Activities of Daily Living), acquire a more positive outlook on life, and improve their quality and quantity of life.

Creative Aging Theatre Classes provide 6 things for the senior population.

Humanity

Theatre taps into humanity. Theatre promotes health by stimulating one's memory with emotions and stories that help people relate to their past. Theatre helps people navigate through complex emotions and allows them to make changes and adjustments to their daily lives and routines.

Accommodation

Senior theatre uses formats that accommodates the abilities of older adults. These formats include larger fonts, Reader's Theatre, Script-in-Hand performances, and improv exercises. Theatre creates shared experiences for actors on stage providing a live audience. The live audience helps seniors feel socially connected to the community while performing.

Engagement

Senior theatre helps seniors feel (and engage in) emotions that enable them to evolve and participate in complex situations. This sense of engagement and interaction contributes to improved moods and positive overall outlooks.

Laughter

Laughter is the best medicine, and theatre is one of the greatest art forms allowing people to connect with one another through comedy and comedic situations of daily life Senior Theatre helps create this art form.

Socialization

You are never too old to act ! A quote from the National Institute on Aging states, "that acting helps people express their emotions, requires no previous training or experience and increases social interactions. Therefore, theatre is the perfect opportunity for seniors to become socially involved with their community helping stimulate their brains in the process."

Experience

Theatre provides new experiences for seniors by expanding their social networks. Many seniors suffer from severe depression, lack of socialization, and boredom due to chronic health issues. The long-term health benefits of participating in theatre contribute greatly to a person's over-all well being, health and positive attitudes.

For registration, email opelikatheatrecompany1@gmail.com.