PLAYBACK THEATRE AUDITIONS

 

 


 

The Living Arts Playback Theatre Ensemble is seeking experienced actors with improvisational skills, who are also empathic listeners with social awareness and interest in serving the community. We have a commitment to reflect the diversity of the Bay Area, and are actively seeking male actors and actors of color to add to our ensemble.

 

   Must be available to rehearse weekly on Friday afternoons, between 4:00 and 6:30.

 

PLAYBACK THEATER:  is an improvisational form whereby personal stories told by audience members are transformed into theatre pieces using music, movement, ritual, and spoken word.

 

TO AUDITION: please send headshot, resume and intro letter to

Ruth at:  pbaudition@gmail.com.  You will be contacted with an invitation to join us on…

 

AUDITION DATE:  Friday, September 10, 2010, 4:30-6:30

 

THE LIVING ARTS PLAYBACK THEATER ENSEMBLE is a non-profit organization that produces performances, workshops and events for personal, professional and organizational growth. Created in 1986 under the direction of psychotherapist and drama therapist Armand Volkas, The Living Arts Playback Theatre Ensemble has established itself as an innovative local and national resource for transformation. Through its Acts of Reconciliation and Healing the Wounds of History projects, the organization has received international acclaim for its work bringing together Germans and Jews, Palestinians and Israelis, African-Americans and European-Americans as well as other groups in conflict. At the heart of its work is a profound respect for the power of personal story to build bridges between people and cultures. The Living Arts Playback Theatre Ensemble is a member of the International Playback Theatre Network and performs for corporations, schools, hospitals, community celebrations, conferences and for the general public.

 

ABOUT PLAYBACK THEATRE

Playback Theatre was first developed by Jonathan Fox, a director, theatrical scholar, and social activist, in the 1970s. The Living Arts Playback Theatre Ensemble is one of several Playback companies worldwide, affiliated through The International Playback Theatre Association.

Playback Theatre is an improvisational form whereby personal stories told by audience members are transformed into theater pieces. A story can be anything: a childhood memory, a current life dilemma, an anecdote from work or travel, or a vision of the future. The essence of a story is then "played back" by a company of trained actors and musicians using spoken improvisation, movement and music. Sometimes a story becomes a myth, sometimes a realistic enactment. Some stories are tragic; others are funny or illuminating. Playback Theatre affirms the importance and dignity of personal experience, enables people to view their lives in new ways, and draws people closer as they see their common humanity.

For organizations, Playback Theatre is a potent vehicle to celebrate success, process change, problem-solve, grieve loss and share hope. For example, in medical schools, Playback Theatre has been employed to reconnect students to their original dreams of becoming doctors. At conferences, Playback Theatre provides an aesthetic and entertaining arena for people to share and reflect upon their experiences. In corporations, Playback Theatre is a particularly effective change management tool which can be applied to a variety of different circumstances: to humanize the effects of a merger or reorganization; to say goodbye to someone who is retiring; to celebrate the achievements of a group.

 

WHAT’S REQUIRED

We are looking for talented, intuitive, multi-faceted actors with deep listening skills, strong improvisational abilities, and a deep ability to empathize and enter into the life of real individuals.

 

Membership in The Living Arts Playback Theater Ensemble requires:

  • A minimum one year commitment.
  • Participation in weekly Friday afternoon training 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. encompassing work on ensemble, Playback structure & techniques, craft, presence, and intuition.  
  • Performing in 1-2 public performance per month produced by the company. New members can expect a 2-4 month training period before performing with the company.
  • Availability for additional performances in organizations, schools, conferences, etc. 
  • Two work hours per month performing administrative and publicity tasks.
  • Assisting in set ups and breakdowns before and after performances.
  • Occasional stipends for paid gigs (although most performances are unpaid)

 Benefits include:

  • Ongoing in-house and guest professional trainings/workshops in the Playback form and related methods.
  • The creative collaboration and support of a community of artists
  • Opportunities to share personal stories during rehearsals when you choose to
  • Occasional chances to travel out of state or across the state for performances
  • The joy of playing a key role in the transformation of an individual or community through Playback Theater

 

 

 

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