You live in the upper Hood River Valley, as you well know. You probably know that even in this time of prosperity in Oregon, unemployment in Hood River County is over 11% and the average annual personal income is less than $20,000.00.

You have been acting up in class all year, and your teacher says you are witty, have a flair for drama, and should consider an acting career. Unfortunately, the only live theatre in the Mid-Columbia is unpaid. Your teacher is facilitating a school-wide celebration of Cinco de Mayo as a culminating activity from your study of Mexico. He has done a great job getting the arts, home ec, and other social studies classes involved, but lacks a centerpiece for the two hour all-school assembly which is scheduled May 5.

Surfing the net at home last night, you discover that Teatro Milagro, the Mexican migrant theatre company in Portland has just received a million dollar grant to expand their humorous and informative productions to the Mid-Columbia on a permanent basis. Unfortunately, they have determined that there are not enough knowledgeable playwrights and actors in Portland to write and perform truly informative and entertaining plays on the Mexican migrant experience, so they are having a national contest to select 5 writer/actors to implement their grant... at a salary of $60,000.00 annually, plus residuals. All writer/actors must demonstrate:

• a firm understanding of the political, social, and economic forces in Mexico which led to significant emigration since World War II.
• a firm understanding of the historical background of migrant worker programs in the Mid-Columbia region.
• the ability to identify the working conditions, living circumstances, and variety of experiences of Mexican immigrant workers in the Mid-Columbia.
• a sensitivity to the lives of Mexican immigrant workers.
• an appreciation for the contributions of Mexican immigrant workers to the culture and economy of the Mid-Columbia.

You realize this is a golden opportunity to get the best grade ever, and make a fortune while doing so. You go straight out and recruit 4 others for your production, and tell the teacher you've solved his problem.

Your play will be assessed on 3 components: writing (the content), drama (the production itself), and art (the props and costumes). It must actively involve all 5 colleagues in writing and performing the work. It must be between 20 and 30 minutes in length, have appropriate props and costumes, and be targeted to the entire student body of your middle school. It must convey clear, focused main points with accurate and relevant supporting details, and have a clear beginning, middle, and end. It must identify multiple causes for Mexican immigration to our area, discuss the resulting changes in our community from at least two points of view (one of which must be that of the immigrants themselves), explain why these perspectives vary, and display a clear sensitivity to the personal lives and circumstances of the Mexican immigrant workers in our community. You may ask for help. Good luck!