FULL : Theatre of the Empowered

Workshop number: 
32
Beth
Popelka
Audience
Who may register: 
Open to All (adult & high school)
full-time attenders only
Time breakdown
Worship/worship-sharing: 
15%
Lecture: 
15%
Discussion: 
15%
Experiential Activities: 
55%
Description
Leader Experience: 

Beth Popelka has served communities nationwide as an actress, director, playwright, educator, and storyteller. She had the honor of training with Augusto Boal, creator of Theatre of the Oppressed, and has used his techniques to address social issues in a variety of settings. A collaborator at heart, Beth encourages the telling of our collective stories. Beth is co-leader of the workshop “Minding Our Lives: Looking Deeply at the Present Moment” and she was a Resident Student at Pendle Hill in 2009-10, returning in 2010-2011 on a special appointment as the Performing Artist in Residence with the Education Team. Beth is co-creator of The Between Sisters Project, an original theatre piece which examines race & identity in young women’s lives. This work was performed in collaboration while serving as Artist in Residence at Mt. Holyoke & Goucher Colleges and her alma mater, Wright State University. Beth is a graduate of the BFA Professional Actor Training Program.

Short Description: 

This interactive workshop will use theatrical techniques, creative exercises, solo exploration, and group collaboration for actively examining and engaging with one's spiritual journey.

Long Description: 

COURSE OVERVIEW:
“God speaks the language of the flesh…” – Barbara Brown Taylor

This course will use theatrical and creative exercises, solo projects, and group collaboration, combined with readings and ideas from Barbara Brown Taylor’s: An Altar in the World and pull from the life-work of Augusto Boal’s: Theatre of the Oppressed.

These influences will be used as springboards for actively examining and engaging in opportunities for interactive exploration, using theatre as a vehicle for transformative, human expression in one’s spiritual life journey.

“Theatre can help us build our future, rather than just waiting for it.” -- Augusto Boal

COURSE OUTLINE:
Class #1: Welcoming: Class introduction and opening exercises.
Class #2: Theme: Waking up.
Class #3: Theme: Paying Attention.
Class #4: Theme: Wearing Skin.
Class #5: Final Sharing & Ritual Presentations.

This is a very much a creative, hands on workshop and approximately 15% of the time will be spent on Worship/Worship Sharing, 15% Lecture, 15% Discussion, and the majority of the time will be spent participating in Experiential Activities.

Creative assignments and individual & collaborative work are strongly encouraged for all class participants.

Please Note: Facilitator subject to change/take away/add to the course outline as our group learning, dynamics, and interests unfold.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
1) Be a human.
2) Have a body.
3) Engage with playfulness and curiosity, opening oneself to the spirit of learning-by-doing in group and individual explorations.
* No prior theatrical experience needed.

WHY?
Theatre is about creating experiences, rituals, seeking meaning, building empathy and community. Doing theatre involves an integrative process of stepping into body, word, and spirit and being present in the moment…to spirit, self, and others.
I believe that creative work is divinely inspired work and that developing a container for connecting people to their stories, to one another, and to our collective learnings and wisdom IS a worthwhile investment in our community.

This is vital, necessary work that keeps us awake and moving towards our soul’s equilibrium. We are worthy of lives that have space for examining, manipulating, experimenting, and celebrating with the core of who we are and with our hearts deepest desires.

There is a place in the world for our deepest desires! We are worthy of living in that Divine place. All of us.

Source List and Suggested Readings:
Brown Taylor, Barbara -- An Altar in the World: A Geography of Faith.
Boal, Augusto -- Theatre of the Oppressed.
Boal, Augusto -- Games For Actors and Non-Actors.
Boal, Augusto -- The Rainbow of Desire: The Boal Method of Theatre and Therapy.
Boal, Augusto -- Legislative Theatre: Using Performance to Make Politics.
Boal, Augusto -- Hamlet and the Baker's Son: My Life in Theatre and Politics.