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Theater group taps into healing game
Theater of Liberation will
host a workshop and two
performances in the EMU’s
Walnut Room this weekend
By Amy Boytz
Oregon Daily Emerald
Sometimes it seems like every
one and everything is out to get
you. You feel bogged down and
oppressed with commitments to
school, work and relationships.
This weekend, that could all
change.
Theater of Liberation, an interac
tive theater aimed at resolving
conflicts and oppression, will host
a workshop and two perfor
mances at the University. Facili
tated by Marc Weinblatt of the
Seattle Public Theater, these pro
grams teach theater techniques
that help participants express and
resolve their conflicts through act
ing.
"There are all different things re
ally going on in any interaction,
like thoughts, feelings, emotions
and inner voices,” Weinblatt said.
Theater of Liberation is based on
the Theater of the Oppressed,
which was founded by Augusto
Boal in the 1960s. Weinblatt has
used variations of Boal’s theater
techniques for eight years. Both
use acting and the help of others
to resolve conflicts.
“It is a practical, tangible re
hearsal for the future,” Weinblatt
said.
In the workshops and perfor
mances, participants will act out an
expression of their oppressions.
The audience is then allowed to
stop the action, step in to replace
the protagonist and attempt to re
solve the conflict. This process
can continue indefinitely until it
is resolved.
“You watch a scene when some
one is feeling victimized and you
say, ‘That’s hopeless.” said Alicia
Swaringen, associate director of
TApRoOT, the Eugene organiza
tion that is co-sponsoring the
event.
“And yet by stopping the scene
and switching actors with some
one who has a different idea, and
watching how everything
changes, it magically opens the
field of possibility,”
Participants in the weekend
long workshop will explore differ
ent acting games and techniques,
culminating in the two perfor
mances Friday and Sunday night.
Friday’s 8 p.m. performance,
“The Rainbow of Desire,” lets au
dience members climb onstage to
illustrate their oppressions using
human sculpture and improvisa
tional acting techniques. Typical
themes include racism, sexism,
environmental issues and authori
ty issues. The actors then resolve
their oppressions through physi
cal exercises and theater games.
Sunday’s 7 p.m. performance,
“Theater of Liberation,” features
conflicts illustrated by members
of the workshop, though the event
is open to the public to view. Dur
ing this performance, participants
act out their oppressions and au
dience members are invited re
solve the scene.
Though the workshop focuses
on acting, Weinblatt said it is qot
necessary to be an actor to partici
pate.
“It’s designed for non-actors. It’s
more about just being authentic,”
he said.
The workshop typically appeals
to actors, political activists, thera
pists and anyone else interested in
finding solutions to oppression,
Swaringen said. Students in par
ticular can benefit from the tech
niques.
The project appeals to “anybody
interested in stretching themselves
a bit more and coming away with
some new options for how they
deal with the challenges in their
life.” Swaringen said.
“I think a lot of us get stuck
when we feel like something is
happening that’s not supporting
us.... [Theater of Liberation | gives
you new doors to walk through as
far as how you deal with these
kinds of challenges. ”
Though these techniques are es
pecially helpful for resolving im
mediate concerns, Swaringen said,
they can be applied elsewhere.
“As people become more famil
iar with these tools, the capacity
for using them is almost endless,”
she said.
Bands perk up the BuzzThursday night
Four local solo sets
performed at The Buzz
Coffeehouse in the EMU
Serena Markstrom
lor the Emerald
Four artists with a unique con
nection entertained about 50 peo
ple at the new Buzz Coffeehouse
in the EMU on Thursday night.
Aaron Masonek, Eric Larson,
Lael Alderman and Ezra Hol
brook performed some solo works
to the mostly student crowd.
All four are also members of
other bands. Masonek and Larson
are with the American Girls, and
Holbrook in Alderman’s band,
Lael Alderman.
Fans had a chance to sample
songs the artists don’t typically
cover in their usual shows, such
as more personal songs during an
acoustic solo session.
"There are the songs I play with
the band, then there are the songs
I play alone in my room; these are
the songs 1 play in my room,” Lar
son said.
Cari Cunningham, who orga
nized the event, said she wanted
to bring the bands together so
more people could see the artists’
rare relationships and talents.
“They are friends, musicians
and they support each other’s
shows,” Cunningham said.
She added that it is not unusual
to see them play in each other’s
bands as guests or even jump on
stage when another is performing.
Holbrook echoed Cunningham.
“In a situation where you nor
mally have a lot of competition,
we all legitimately want each oth
er to succeed,” Holbrook said.
“We try to help each other do it.”
These bands, along with other
local bands such as Drive, have
created a musical community in
which they support each other.
But there is no shortage of pro
ducers to single out the talents
they have helped each other cre
ate.
Alderman said major record
companies are interested in each
musician. The American Girls
have signed with Sony.
Alderman signed with Geffen
records and is due to record a new
album in the spring. Holbrook,
formerly of Jacob Marley’s Ghost,
was signed to a label but has opt
ed to produce his own album for
more musical freedom.
Tonight fans of all ages can
catch the American Girls at the
WOW Hall. The performance will
start about Up.m. Holbrook will
perform with Drive at John Hen
ry’s at 9 p.m.
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