Resources

Theatre of the Oppressed
Boal, Agusto. Legislative Theatre: Using Performance to Make Politics.
Boal, Agusto. The Rainbow of Desire: The Boal Method of Theatre and Therapy.
Boal, Agusto. Theatre of the Oppressed: Get Political.
Schutzman, Mandy and Jan Cohen-Cruz. A Boal Companion: Dialogues on Theatre and Cultural Politics
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theatre_of_the_Oppressed
http://www.ptoweb.org/

Improv
Salinsky, Tom. The Improv Handbook: The Ultimate Guide to Improvising in Comedy, Theatre, and Beyond.
Spolin, Viola. Improvisation for the Theatre.
Spolin, Viola. Theatre Games for the Classroom.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Improvisational_theatre
http://www.urbanimprov.org

Scripted Shows
No Mas Play Project
http://nomasplay.blogspot.com

Dead Man Walking School Theatre Project
http://www.dmwplay.org

Processing the Scene

What? Questions that help the audience understand the facts of the scene, questions that help the audience understand the feelings of the characters in the scene.

Now what? Questions that help the audience reflect on why this topic and issues associated with it matter. Questions that help the audience participants reflect on their own experiences and choices.

So what? Questions dig into the cause and effect of the situation and the possible decisions that could be made. These questions establish the implications of choices, not only on the individual, but the community, culture, the world. Questions that help the participants identify possible steps for them to take.

Parts of Narrating a Scene

• Introduction: The title and exposition (someone names it and sets up the context of the scene)

• Conflict: What do characters disagree over? Where’s the hurt, frustration, injustice?

• Rising Action: Turn up the heat. In what situations does the conflict most escalate?

• Crisis: The moment of truth -- The moment when the character must make a decision (how to respond, what to do, say, how to act as a result of this situation and the conflict involved)

• FREEZE: Before the climax…. Before the character makes the decision (this is where we want to begin drawing the audience in to the dialogue and the possibilities)

Creating a Scene

T– Topic Selected: Who is the target audience? What is the target objective? What do you want to happen as a result of the scene?

I—Illustrate the issue: Brainstorm all the aspects of the issue: What are various perspectives? What are the implications of this topic on students, faith, the world, the community, the individual? Where does this issue occur?
Who? What? When? Why? Where? How?

Develop the scene (see parts of a scene below and the Scene Information Page) – Be sure to have a clear opening line and a freeze line.

P—Pick parts and practice: Improv doesn’t have to mean completely unrehearsed, so know who is doing what and play with the flow of the scene.

S--Setting Up the Opening : Brainstorm questions that will help audience members understand the What (emotions and facts of the scene), So What (why it’s important), and Now What (what are the next steps or connections to their world/reality).

Thanks for a great weekend!

Thanks to the 128 (!) people who came to the breakout session at the Ignatian Family Teach-In this weekend! You were all fabulous!

And a very special thank you to Nick, Sarah, and Matt for helping out and also to our fabulous volunteer, Jeff.

Check back here for all of the information from the handouts, as well as other resources for things!

Breakout Session

Come join us for our breakout session at the Ignatian Family Teach-In for Justice in Columbus, GA on 20 November 2009.