Barebones Theater
Multicultural education through peer theater
Fall 1996 – Spring 1997
In the Fall of 1996, the Office of Jewish Affairs launched an innovative, theater-based program, which used theater techniques to explore issues of identity and diversity. Our goal was to collaborate with others in the creation of an educational forum which was both entertaining and provocative, in order to build bridges of understanding between different communities who were relatively ignorant of each other's histories and life experience.
Although this theater outreach project was initiated and funded by the Office of Jewish Affairs, our goal was to acknowledge and celebrate the whole social tapestry with its myriad religions, races, ethnicites, nationalities, and sexual orientations.
In order to reach that goal, we did extensive outreach to various organizations including Hillel, Bilingual Collegiate Program, Collegiate Committee for the Education of Black and other Minority Students, United Asia Learning Resource Center, Native American Cultural Center, Latin American Cultural Center, Stonewall Center (GLBT), Dept of Afro-American Studies, Office of ALANA Affairs, and others, seeking input on the specific issues that we should address through this project; particular incidents or scenarios that might work well in a theater-based workshop; and help in recruiting a diverse group of student "actors" to participate in this project.
It wasn't necessary to have any theater background. Rather, we sought students who cared about these issues; who were willing to share their personal stories and were interested in learning those of others; who wished to explore different forms of expression; and who enjoyed working as a team.
Interested students were able to earn academic credit for their participation.
Some of the techniques that were used included:
• Forum Theater—a technique based on audience participation;
• Guerilla Theater—short plays performed randomly in public places;
• Role-Playing and Improvisation.
Many of these techniques were formulated by Brazilian theater director and politcial activist Augusto Boal, author of Theater of the Oppressed.
The workshops were led by Office of Jewish Affairs graduate assistant Laura Tichler,
a graduate student in the theater department with extensive experience leading and teaching outreach theater.
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