Reviving the Pioneer Spirit
Achieve your dream through theater
Become your dream - a performance shaped for your future made by pupils, pioneers of tomorrow
Overview
What has been done
A group of pupils from 14 to 20 years described through a theatrical performance how everyone can reach their dreams and their goals. Guided by professional actors, and inspired by 3 pioneers characters (Walt Disney, Nellie Bly and Coco Chanel),14 students create from scratch their own performance "Became your dream". The piece have been performed during the festival for the art and digitalization in Padova
Why was it needed locally
Today, many young students face a profound sense of disorientation, trapped between the strong desire to achieve their dreams and a structural reality that seems to constantly hinder their aspirations, leading to rising levels of anxiety, stress, and the fear of failure. This sense of struggle is entirely legitimate and widely supported by facts, as confirmed by recent studies conducted in the Veneto region. Although Veneto represents an area of educational excellence, data from the latest Regional Statistical Reports and socio-economic updates for 2025-2026 highlight tangible critical issues that undermine young people's independence and their ability to plan for the future
Target Groups: How were they activated and their benefits
Regional pupils and youth – 14 students from 14 to 20 years old
Activation: Starting from November an open public call was published on the institutional website of the Chamber of Commerce of Padova, followed by the promotion of the activity through newsletters and social posts both by the Chamber of Commerce and the in-house agency Venicepromex. The Theater Company Barabao also promoted the activity among its students
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Public call on institutional website
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Newsletter
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Posts on social media of the partner and of Venicepromex
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Direct call or contact with students of the Theater Company
Benefit: The 14 students have been introduced to the performing arts,through different theater labs activities: developing of dramaturgy and script, show rehearsal, self reflection on the main theme of the performance, rehearsal of the show in front of a real auditorium during a public festival
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improvement of relational and communication skills
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enhancement of self esteem
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Development of self accountability
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Improvement of personal awareness
Resources Required
Staff
actors with experience in training pupils and group theater
Space
Theater School Barabao and Congress Center San Gaetano, Padova
Equipment
Video recordings facilities, rehearsals equipment (lights, microphones, mixer)
Budget
Medium: 2-10,000 €
Budget of around 10.000 covering theater lab, rehearsal, video recordings and show documentation and final rehearsals
Methods & Steps
Core Mechanism
Formats applied
Workshop:
The actors from the Barabao company guided 14 students on a month-long journey, alternating between moments of reflection on the future, their dreams, and the skills needed to achieve them, and technical sessions aimed at developing the soft skills required for theatrical performance
Methods used: Theater lab: Guided by professional actors, pupils were engaged in different activities - Development of a dramaturgy in which every participant is an active protagonist of the performance; - Show rehearsals; - Introduction to camera acting for video recordings documenting the process; - Rehearsals for the show "BECOME YOUR DREAM"; - Staging of the theatrical performance; - Final assessment of the entire process.Steps taken
Promotion of the activity
1 month
- Public call : A public call was launched on the institutional website of the Chamber of Commerce for promoting the activity among students and young people
- Newsletter: Dedicated newsletter was issued and directed to both general public and enterprises
Theater Lab - workshop
1,5 months
- Storyline construction: 14 pupils and professional actors met periodically for 1 and a half month to write together the storyline of the theatrical piece, starting from their dreams and from the inspiration taken by 3 public characters: Nellie Bly, Coco Chanel and Walt Disney
- Show rehearsals: During the rehearsals of the show, pupils were taught how to act in front of a real audience and in front of a camera, they exercised on staging and they prepare the final performance
Final Performance of the Theatrical Piece
1 day
- Performance during the Digital Artifex Festival: The theatrical play has been included in the programme of the Festival Digital Artifex in Padova. Pupils performed in front of an audience of around 80 young students and teachers and at the end they share their stories and emotions during a small talk
- Video production: The show's premiere, along with clips from the rehearsals and the post-show talk, was filmed by a professional videographer to be used as promotional material to help spread awareness of the project
Results
Measurable and Direct Outcomes
The local action brought about the following concrete results:
- Improved entrepreneurial / pioneer skills: 14 Participants have acquired solid tools to understand how to build the future by leveraging soft skills as an an essential resource for tackling the challenges of life and work
- Stakeholder awareness / network extensions: Around 80 persons (mainly students from the high school, teachers and local stakeholders attended to the theatrical performance organized on the occasion of the Digital Artifex, the event organized in cooperation with Padova Chamber of Commerce for promoting innovation and digitalization in work environment
Indirect Impacts
The activity has an impact also on the general public (mainly young students and teachers), as the performance was planned in the Digital Artifex programme: after the performance the actors shared with the public their experience and feelings. How the theatre lab has helped them exploring their desires for the future but also the path to build it. Bringing their dreams on stage allows pupils not only to imagine their own future, but also to bear witness for the other peers
Local Outlook / Follow-up
- Replicability of the structure of the activity: The same activity (theater lab + performance) with the theatre school can be proposed also to other target groups, not only to students or young people, but as an effective tool to enhance awareness on soft skills
Evaluation
Satisfaction - Overview
Professional actors from the theatre school and pupils were fully satisfied, as participants have acquired solid tools to understand how to build the future by leveraging soft skills as an an essential resource for tackling the challenges of life and work.
This experience, itself was a success and it serves as a replicable model, capable of combining creativity, training, and guidance in an effective and engaging way.
Satisfaction - Details
- 14 pupils performing a theatrical show: The activity allowed 14 young actors, guided by industry professionals, to explore their desires and understand how to achieve their dreams, drawing inspiration from successful figures. Furthermore, the young participants learned basic acting techniques and experienced how transferable soft skills
- 80 teachers, stakeholders and students attending the performance: The framework of the Digital Artifex event gave the opportunity to share the project and the pilot action objective with a consistent number of public (pupils, teachers and stakeholders) who participated with great interest to the open dialogue organized after the theatrical performance
Transfer Hints
- Theater Lab: involving students and generally young people in an ambitious project is always a good way to keep them engaged and to help them reflect deeper in the topics of the activity
- Involvement of professionals: The involvement of a professional theatre school has been of great value, as they have been able to approach the pupils and the audience in the best way possibile, and to transfer to them the core topic of the activity (the search of a dream to be developed)
- Connection to other major event: If possible, consider to associate the activity to a local or national event (i.e. digital festival, congress, innovation fair, exhibition) to guarantee a higher visibility and the participation of a greater audience
- Customization of participants: The participants may also be drawn from a single classroom or sports team. Indeed, working with an established group can likely enhance the effective transmission of the core themes and values
- Adaptability of the storyline : The show's narrative was clearly focused on helping participants discover their own values and future dreams, taking three well-known figures as case studies. It is certainly possible to select different key figures or alter the storyline, provided it always originates from a group reflection
- Lack of commitment: Be sure that each pupil or student is committed to the objective of the activity, plan the rehearsals and the theatre lab appointment well in advance and ask also the cooperation of adults to make sure the pupil will participate to the whole activity
Participant Testimonials & Impressions
Impressions
📹 Video Documentation
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Access the complete implementation guide and connect with the team
Contact: Luisa Previati
Phone: 3420711765
Email: luisa.previati@vepromex.it
Need more information?
Project manager:
Franziska Görmar
IfL - Leibniz Institute for Regional Geography, Germany
Email
This project is supported by the Interreg CENTRAL EUROPE Programme with co-financing from the European Regional Development Fund.
Find more information about the x-Inno Radar project on the Interreg CE projectwebsite.
x-Inno Radar is a project of: 
Creative Region Linz & Upper Austria Gmbh, 
The Regional Chamber of Commerce of the Karlovy Vary Region, 
Padova Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Crafts and Agriculture, 
Creative Industry Košice, n. o., 
BSC, Business support centre, ltd., Kranj, 
Regional Development Agency in Bielsko-Biała, 
Stebo Competence Centre Community Developmentm, 
Association of Cultural and Creative Industries Chemnitz and Region (Creative Chemnitz), Leibniz Institute for Regional Geography – Germany, Otelo Cooperative