The Campfire Project

Conceived by Jessica Hecht

Team Member & Instructor

The Campfire Project uses the power of theatre and Shakespeare to provide Syrian refugees in Camp Ristona with an outlet to exercise imagination and express their humanity, offering a forum and a sense of belonging to the community.

In late July, 2018, more than 16 volunteer theatre professionals traveled to Camp Ritsona in Athens, Greece, for a three-week residency to create an Arabic language adaptation of Shakespeare’s The Tempest. The group also included a psycho therapist specializing in PTSD.

“At the deepest level, the creative process and the healing process arise from a single source. When you are an artist, you are a healer; a wordless trust of the same mystery is the foundation of your work and its integrity.”
—Rachel Naomi Remen, MD