Creating Common Cause - Telling Our Stories

In 4 interactive sessions of theater and discussion, participants see themselves in one another’s stories of race and racism as they are brought to life on stage by members of Playback For Change, a multi-racial, improvisational theatre company based in Philadelphia dedicated to using Playback Theatre as a vehicle for social change. Audience members’ real stories become the source material. The performance is spontaneous - it is theater created through a unique collaboration between performers and audience. Someone from the audience tells a story or moment from their life, chooses actors to play the different roles, then watches as their story is immediately recreated on “stage.” The goals of the performance series are to foster ongoing understanding and self-reflection about how racism is experienced, resisted, and repaired in people’s lived experience (not just intellectually studied) and to create relationships of support in ongoing anti-racism work. Two sessions will use the practice of race-specific affinity spaces to prepare participants to have a deeper, braver and more honest conversation. Participants are encouraged to set up accountability partners and to engage in reflection and dialogue between performances. For any questions about the Telling Our Stories series, Playback For Change, or Playback Theatre, please email The Rev. Barbara Ballenger ([email protected]).

The fourth and final performance will be for everyone to share their stories and experiences of resisting and healing from racism. This performance would also focus on how we all work together, in solidarity, to dismantle systemic racism and White supremacy.

Each session costs $15 per person or $50 for a group of 5 or more. Tickets for each of the 4 sessions are sold separately. Financial assistance is available. Email [email protected].

Sponsored by the Anti-Racism Commission of the Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania.

Host or Publisher Anti-Racism Commission, Diocese of Pennsylvania