HRPT News
Playback Theatre in the West Bank
HRPT’s artistic director Jo Salas recently returned from 16 days of teaching Playback in the West Bank, with the Freedom Theatre, and in Israel. You can read her blog posts from the West Bank at www.hudsontowestbank.blogspot.com or hear an interview on WVKR’s Activist Radio.
No More Bullying! wrap-up session at Highland Middle School
Our talented team of young actors came together once more to reflect, evaluate, and celebrate! Congratulations, team!
Bullying Prevention Conference in Newburgh
HRPT provided the keynote performance at the a community-wide gathering in Newburgh addressing bullying and violence, part of Newburgh’s Reconnecting Families Summit. Our audience of young people, parents, and educators contributed ideas and stories. A courageous 1st grader told her story about witnessing a friend being bullied, and taking action to help him. Another boy told a story about being not being listened to by his principal following a bullying situation. In this large and attentive audience, he was finally listened to.
No More Bullying! shows at Highland Middle School
With our wonderful team of students, we carried out six performances at Highland Middle School on March 28 and 29. Sixth, seventh, and eighth graders told stories about what they’ve seen and experienced, and learned a lot about what they can do especially as witnesses to bullying to make their school a safer and more respectful place. About 380 students took part.
Spring Forward in New Paltz
Our public show on March 15 was rich in stories from people of all ages. We acted out stories of changing seasons, personal discovery, danger, and delight. From our Twitterbacks (one-sentence stories written on a card before the show, some of which are read aloud anonymously and acted on the spot):
Today, I raked some leaves under two big trees in the sun and a wonderful cool breeze while losing weight!
Today I had to remind myself to follow my heart and reassure myself that I will be okay…
Driving my grandson to school, I made up stories about 3 little boys afraid of storms (his idea!)
Today I did a good deed for a dying neighbor’s child.
Worked on negotiating clothes missing from mom’s nursing home.
During lunch, I took my spoon that I was eating corn with and drew a face on it, with a sharpie.
HRPT performs with students at Kingston High School anti-bullying conference!
At KHS’s recent community and school gathering to address bullying, HRPT provided a one-hour workshop where students learned some Playback basics and had a chance to explore their own experiences and feelings around bullying. Then they joined us onstage as performers in a culminating performance for the conference! They did great and we enjoyed working with these courageous young people. From one of the organizers: “I just wanted to personally thank you all again for taking the time to come to KHS this morning and for all the energy, effort, expertise and empathy you bring everywhere you go!”
Playback workshops in Saugerties, NY
The Centre for Playback Theatre’s Winter Session takes place February 18 to 28. HRPT’s artistic director Jo Salas will teach a course on conducting called Five Brains and a Strong Heart, 2/22–2/25. Other courses are Core Training and Therapeutic Elements. Visit www.playbackcentre.org for more information.
HPRT goes to Rockland County
We were invited to provide No More Bullying performances for all 2nd to 5th graders at Bardonia Elementary School. The children welcomed the opportunity to tell their stories and strengthen their resolve to take action if they witness bullying.
Memphis Playback learns No More Bullying!
An active, diverse, and talented company in Memphis spent two packed days gaining the skills needed to bring our original program No More Bullying into Memphis schools. They’re the sixth Playback company to take this training.
HRPT performs in London and Frankfurt!
HRPT recently carried out shows at the New Diorama Theatre in London and at the International Playback Theatre Conference in Frankfurt. The team came home inspired–and tired!
New on YouTube!
Check out our new clip showing some of our No More Bullying! Leadership program students in action!
10/14/11: What in the world…
Last night we did another public show in beautiful Deyo Hall in New Paltz, with lots of stories about floods, winds, and Occupy Wall Street. As part of the warm-up audience members were invited to write one-sentence stories, some of which we read aloud and acted out.
Here are a few of the “Twitterbacks”–thanks to our creative audience members!
Feeling like an outsider in a family of sisters.
I haven’t gotten my unemployment checks yet. Do I dare complain?
I thought it was going to be raining and dreary all day and then the sun came out for just a little while, and that changed EVERYTHING!
I heard from an agency today about a job with a famous family but I have to really consider if housekeeping is my passion.
9/24/11: Seguimos adelante!
This past week we did three more Immigrant Stories shows–a festival in Amenia hosted by Somos La Llave del Futuro; another show for migrant workers who suffered during the recent floods; and a presentation and performance as part of a staff training for Planned Parenthood of the Mid Hudson Valley.
Strong stories were told, with lots of laughter and tears, bearing witness to struggle, hardship, love and courage. A mother spoke about her children whose future is foreclosed unless the DREAM Act passes. A young woman told about her immigrant husband’s 16-hour days supporting their family. A man spoke of being “solo en el desierto”—alone and lost in the desert until he finally found help. A little boy at the migrant worker camp told us about learning a funny song about elephants at a summer program for kids. At the end of that show, he and the other children stood and sang our final song with us, Seguimos Adelante—Keep on Walking Forward. Soon all the families will depart for Florida and another season’s work.
8/5/11: “My children were sick…”
In a crowded dining area in a migrant workers’ camp, families gathered to tell stories and see them enacted in another of HRPT’s Immigrant Stories series, funded by the Dyson Foundation. A woman told her story about her two children, 5 and 7 years old, who became sick after being exposed to toxic spray at another camp, a few years ago. The clinic gave her medicine, but it didn’t work. She remembered a remedy from Mexico, using lemons, and was able to heal her children. Now things are better: at this camp the children are picked up and taken to school, away from danger.
7/30/11: Twitterback!
At our recent public show, The Virtual Campfire, audience members were invited to write a one-sentence story from their day on a card. We read some aloud–anonymously!–and actors enacted them briefly. Here are some of the “Twitterbacks”:
The day began with breakfast outdoors (chocolate mousse and frittata) and then bloomed curiouser and curiouser.
I am 62 years old and just got a divorce! Yeah!
I ate eggs with every meal.
There was a rooster in the woods, making a noise like a hissing steam pipe; it thoroughly perplexed my dog.
I had the bestest day today after awakening next to the love of my life.
6/21/11: HRPT performs at PT Festival!
Hudson River Playback Theatre members Sarah Urech, Lauren Ardman, Matteo Spitzer, Jody Satriani and Jo Salas gave the culminating performance to a sold-out audience at the Playback North America Festival in Cambridge, MA on June 18. One audience member wrote afterwards: ”It was like watching a group of people being danced by the same dream.”
6/7/11: No More Bullying! in Montreal
Promito Playback Theatre, a bilingual group in Montreal, is the latest Playback ensemble to receive training in HRPT’s No More Bullying! approach. The company hopes to introduce the program in Montreal schools in the coming year.
5/11/11: TEDx in Brattleboro
Former HRPT member Michael “Cabbie” Caban, now a graduate student at SIT in Brattleboro, VT, was instrumental in inviting HRPT director Jo Salas to speak at SIT’s independent TED event on the theme of “Ideas to Action.” You can watch Jo’s speech here. At the same link you’ll see the beautiful dance that Cabbie choreographed and performed at the event’s opening.
Diversity stories in Phoenicia
4th, 5th, and 6th graders told sensitive stories about getting to know and appreciate people who are different from them in a series of shows at Phoenicia Elementary School as part of their Diversity Week. These thoughtful kids also joined us on stage at times to help act out each others’ stories.
Playback with RAPP!
HRPT’s series of workshops with kids in the Relatives as Parents Program (run by Cornell Cooperative Extension in Kingston) culminated in a heartwarming show for families. Kids, parents, and grandparents told stories and watched them acted out by the children, along with HRPT members.
No More Bullying!
HRPT recently completed another “No More Bullying!” Leadership Program at Highland Middle School, funded by the school and by the Community Foundation of Ulster County. Fifteen 6th, 7th, and 8th graders learned about Playback and about school bullying, then took part in anti-bullying performances for other students in the school as well as 5th graders from the neighboring elementary school. We heard and acted out some powerful stories. One performer described it as “exhilarating!” Photo: celebrating with T-shirts and ice cream!
No More Bullying! in other places
HRPT’s No More Bullying! program has been adopted most recently by Vancouver Playback Theatre, after an intensive 2-day training led by Jo Salas. She’ll also train a group in Montreal in June.
Big Apple Playback Theatre in New York City also uses the No More Bullying! program (they call it “Keep the Peace”). They have a new video about it–check it out on YouTube!
HRPT to perform in Boston and beyond
HRPT will be featured at Playback North America’s Festival in Boston in mid-June, and has also been invited to perform in London and Frankfurt in November, 2011.
