A JOURNEY THROUGH STORIES:
Creating Dialogue with Youth about Violence
“Click here to watch our video of
the Youth Company in action!”
Presented by:
Ralph Thornton Centre & Toronto Playback Theatre
A Youth Project
“Violence is the absence of dialogue.”
– the Dalai Lama
“… I found out that I can be heard …”
– Youth participant, Phase 1 project
(…more feedback)
We are pleased to announce that Ralph Thornton Centre (RTC)) has received funding from the National Crime Prevention Centre for an initiative to implement a youth violence prevention program using Playback Theatre during the course of 2006. This award-winning project has grown out of a successful phase one pilot project in early 2005 funded by the Toronto Arts Council.
The spontaneous enactment of personal experience builds connection between people by honoring the dignity, drama and universality of their stories. The funding allows Toronto Playback Theatre to build relationships with schools and agencies that serve youth who have been impacted by violence and/or who are at-risk of being involved in violence, including:
• Peacebuilders International
• Connect To Youth
• East York Collegiate Institute
• Respect in Action (REACT)
The project includes four phases.
1. Dialogue to better understand the dynamics and needs of each agency.
2. A 90 minute playback presentation by the professional Toronto Playback company, providing youth an opportunity to watch as their stories are immediately recreated and brought to life.
3. Interactive theatre-based exercises including sound, movement, listening and story-telling, designed to give youth the skills necessary to playback their stories to one another.
4. The formation of a youth Playback Theatre company.
Over the course of this initiative we have enacted accounts of racism, gang violence, landlord - tenant conflicts, witnessing violent killings, the ridicule of new immigrants, schoolyard bullying, family disputes and relationship tensions with authorities and teachers. We have also heard countless stories of the acts of kindness, love and caring which happen every day in the schools and on the streets of Toronto.
“… I learned that much can be resolved through
mutual respect and understanding …”
THE FORMATION OF A YOUTH PLAYBACK THEATRE COMPANY
– Spring 2006
In the final phase of the initiative, a Youth Playback Company with participants drawn from each of the agencies will train intensively in the skills necessary for public performance of Playback Theatre. They will return to their schools and communities, listen to the stories of their peers and play them back as live theatre.
The project serves as an opportunity for youth to dialogue with other youth about violence, share their stories and, finally, to develop empathy, understanding and alternative outcomes.
“… as a community we all share similar experiences …”
YOUTH COMPANY PERFORMANCES
Saturday April 22 - public performance
A shared evening with the Toronto Playback Theatre professional company.
Tuesday April 26 - Spring 2006 Young Leaders Forum: A World without Stigma
A special invited performance for senior high school students at a youth conference exploring the complex social issues that face us as citizens in the most multicultural society in the world.
May - June
performances at youth organizations & schools
July
TPT-Youth Company Public Performance July 21
Saturday December 16 -
Stories of Difference and Common Ground
A feature performance by the Toronto Playback Theatre Youth Company.
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