PPS-550B Approaches to Community-Based Performance

3 Credits

Community-based theater includes a variety of theater-making practices defined by their interaction with the communities from which they grow, including theater performed in or for communities other than the self-selected audience that comes into a theater. In this class, we will look at histories and theories of community-based work as well as projects on the contemporary landscape. The class will consist of viewings, weekly readings, and discussion as well as embodied work. We will learn and practice exercises to create a sense of trust and openness in community work, gathering approaches to collecting stories and strategies for working collaboratively. We will pay particular attention to the power dynamics involved in community-based art practices. What does it mean to be a professional working with community members, and what strategies can we use to negotiate the challenges of being an outsider in a leadership position? This course also serves to prepare students for internships in community-based theater.