interactiveimprov

[Adam Blatner]

Dear Nadya,
   responding to your question for you and for others: You asked: Do you just want anecdotes of psychodrama? Or are you interested in drama therapy as well?"
    Adam: Thank you. I want to emphasize that this book and my effort has transcended psychodrama, therapy, drama therapy, and expands to all forms of applying theatre in the service of all kinds of community-building, education, therapy, personal empowerment, and recreation. Therefore, it includes chapters on Playback Theatre, Theatre of the Oppressed, applications in business, mystery theatre, and on and on.. 

    I want to reach the theatre artist who might want to diversify away from scripted and rehearsed theatre and didn't know there were all these approaches. Ditto for the drama student who only had been exposed to traditional theatre. So many teachers act as if this is the only way to do theatre--to have a script and memorize and rehearse. What about involving the audience? What about varying degrees of impromptu or improvised drama?  If you or your colleagues used drama in ways that are more improvisational or interactive, that's what I want anecdotes about.

    Nadya: Barrier Free Theatre in Kansas. (writing & directing a play with people with disabilities.) This may be on the border. Because the script was written by you, however it may have opened up the field a bit, it's still a variation of traditional theatre. How much did the participants have a chance to co-create their roles?  How much was the audience able to interact with the players?  So from what you said, I might not post your anecdote on the website. You do remind me of another borderline area, of course: Theatre by and for people who are expecting less of a fancy and polished production, and the audience attends because the theatre speaks to their special interests. Perhaps this is a sub-set of community theatre. Because you make a good point in noting that regular theatre itself can evoke "tremendous energy and connectedness emanating from the stage. I didn't do it at all - it's what happens when you give people a forum to be seen & heard."
      Warmly, Adam
       
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