Playback Theater

Playback Theater is a form of improvisational theater developed by Jonathan Fox where the audience interacts with the performers by telling stories from real life experience. The performers then literally "play back" what they heard, recreating the events on stage.

Participants laugh, cry and become emotionally involved. Playback is fun to be a part of and easy to learn. It involves every member of a group, either in sharing a personal story, acting, or in witnessing their peers.

For adults, Playback Theater builds community in organizations. It is a fun and engaging way to summarize the impact of an event, such as a professional conference or business retreat.

I am available for consultation to support other institutions or groups in starting their own programs, as well as to simply teach a group the Playback Theater form.

Playback to Youth

After volunteering at Columbine High School following the well-known tragedy, I developed a pilot project, Playback to Youth, which was implemented at a Longmont high school. It has been effective in cultivating empathy and compassion among even the most alienated youth. We are in the process of seeking funding to bring this to Boulder Valley schools.

Playback to Youth consists of training adult volunteers and college students to begin Playback Theater groups within local schools. The youth then facilitate groups in their own school and travel to middle schools to support younger students. It is designed to be a service learning curriculum project.

We believe that Playback Theater can help these students develop empathy and understanding for one another, as well as encourage valuable communication skills, and nurture love and appreciation for the arts.

Trainings

Links

The International Playback Theater Network

http://www.playbacknet.org