Theater of the Oppressed: An Experimental & Participatory Workshop

Sunday, April 4th, 2010, 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm Fear, isolation, alienation, privilege, racism, sexism, authoritarianism and other forms of oppression plague our world outside of as well as within our social movements. However, often times, they are as much delivered in the words we use when we attempt to dialogue about them, as in the dichotomy of presenter vs audience that tries to carry forth the discussion.

Join us for an introductory workshop of Theater of the Oppressed, developed by Augusto Boal in Brazil, that attempts to dissolve the verbal barrier and the actor/spectator division by engaging every community participant as a protagonist in identifying and dismantling these power dynamics in society-at-large as well as interpersonally.

We will experiment using a number of games from the Theater of the Oppressed canons, including Games for Actors and Non-Actors, Rainbow of Desire, as well as from other interactive theater traditions.

A variety of games offer a direct way of feeling, hearing, and understanding each other through body movement, sound, and image theater. Taken further, skits explore possibilities of change by re-enacting oppressive situations and rehearsing variations of overcoming them both individually and collectively.

This interactive workshop will be facilitated by Alisa LaSotnik (as what the T.O.T.O. tradition calls the "Joker,"). Alisa has taken a facilitators' workshop with Augusto Boal in the Brecht Forum, NYC and has conducted workshops in Ukraine, New Orleans, and other places. She will begin the facilitation but the workshop will be free to flow un-facilitated, as we explore these games together. Reference books will be available. Wear loose-fitting and comfortable clothing!

Suggested Entry Donation: $5-$10 (No one turned away). Coffee, tea, and light snacks will be available by MESA sin fronteras for suggested donations of $2-$3.