PLAYBACK NYC EDUCATION PROJECTS

ABOUT PLAYBACK NYC:

Playback (NYC) uses music, dance, Freestyle Hip Hop and improvisational theater to transform the stories of our audience into the art of theater. Rooted in ancient story telling traditions and tempered by current poetic and musical forms, we take our script from our audiences; memories, feelings, dreams, social and political conflicts are all transformed into theater by our actors and musicians.

”Playback Theater uses the life stories of the audience to build drama, and
it finds that audience in clubs, homeless shelters, prisons and schools as
well as theaters. The tools are verbal improvisation, music, and the kind of
forceful movement that creates characters instantly.”

Margo Jefferson -NY Times 12.10.04

WORKSHOPS AND EDUCATIONAL WORK

Playback theater is used to tell young peoples stories and also in a workshop setting to help empower them with the skills and confidence that builds social, artistic, and cultural awareness. It has also been very successful in implementing improvisational theater and role-playing in the classrooms to address academic and behavioral concerns. At the college level Playback NYC is also a great tool for introducing Hip Hop Theater, building ensemble work and improvisational and Hip Hop training in theater departments.


Some Workshop Models:

Introduction to Playback and Hip Hop Theater:
This workshop introduces the short forms of Playback such as fluid sculpture, chorus, pairs, and four part stories. Theses short improvisational forms are then merged with instruction in Beat-boxing, Freestyle rhymes, and when available the use of turntables. This workshop is a great introduction to improvisational theater, Hip Hop, and ensemble theater work. This workshop requires a minimum of 1-2 hours.

Playback and Hip Hop Master Class:
This workshop is a full journey through the Playback Theatrical ritual. It begins in the short forms and culminates in the long form of the Story. This workshop addressed the challenges of playing back our everyday stories. There is an emphasis on challenging the forms of melodrama and pushing towards theatrical metaphor, use of the body, music, and poetics to tell stories. This workshop culminates in a community performance. This Master Class requires a minimum of 2-3 hours for 3-5 days.


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Playback and Social Change:
This lecture/Workshop talks about the use of Playback and Hip Hop to address social and political Issues. There is a discussion of Playback NYC’s work in prisons, its commitment to telling untold stories, and our activity in producing events during the RNC and Election Night 2004. We discuss the role that theater can play in protests, activist meetings, and as a way to process challenging times and questions. There is also discussion around maintaining an intentionally diverse group. The session culminates in Playback performance around the discussion. This is a 1-2 hour session

Playback and Conflict Resolution:
Playback is a powerful theatrical form where a community’s feelings, dreams, and challenges come to life through improvised performance. A Playback performance can create a dialogue in the midst of conflict. Its ritual allows for a variety of perspectives to come to life on stage. The performance is facilitated with careful attention to the safety of the group. It is best when a small diverse group from the community can be trained to actually take part in the performance. This performance requires a minimum of 2-3 hours for training and a one hour performance.

Playback Themes Performance:
Playback can create a performance based on specific themes - for example: Conflict Resolution, Black History, Diversity Awareness, Women in Hip Hop, just to name a few. We can work with you to identify themes relevant to your community or work with themes and events that you have as part of your programming. We then perform poems, rhymes, and theater addressing these themes. Then the audience’s feelings and stories are played back live on and the spot. We also encourage the participation of members of your community by performing pre-selected pieces as part of our show. This is a one hour show with a minimum of two 2-3 hour sessions for community rehearsal.


Youth Workshops and Performances
Partial List

2003—

-Hampshire College: Introduction to Playback and Social Change.

-Rotterdam, Holland: Workshop & Performance at the Luxor Theater, Rotterdam.

-Diversity Workshop and Performance at Flint Hill Prep School in Virginia.

-Art Start with homeless youth curated by Hip Hop Theater Festival.

-Project 2050 (progressive youth arts retreat produced by New World Theater): culminated in both outdoor public performance and at UMASS College.
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2004—

-Workshop at the Bronx Charter School for the Arts.

-Playback Workshop at New York Univercity.

-Jefferson Terrace Community Center in Saratoga Springs funded by the Saratoga Arts Council.

-Performance on Youth, The Military, and Hip Hop at El Puente High School, Brooklyn, NY.

-Conflict Resolution Performance at Oyster Bay, NY.

We continue to work with youth at the Sesame Flyers Winthrop Beacon Program, the Global Studies HS Drop-out Prevention Program, the Boys & Girls Club of America and Hispanic Young Peoples Alternatives, PS120 Elementary and at the Paul Robeson HS on Brooklyn, NY.