People of Color Working in Playback workshop January 27-29, 2006

Marquerite, Bianca, Jiwan, Sipiwe, Victor, Dawn, Vanessa, Mallika, Davis, and Sundiata--ten persons of color from 6 playback theatre companies around the US came together in Highland, NY, for three days of conducting training and explorations. Also present was special guest, Dollie Eaglin, an arts educator from New Orleans, who shared about conditions there and will serve as a link between playback theatre and New Orleaneans for the PT Katrina Project. Playback for Change co-director Pamela Freeman coordinated the workshop, along with Jonathan Fox.

It was an empowering experience!

Here are a few comments from the workshop, collected by Sipiwe Moyo:

"We need to start by asking ourselves, 'What do we do well?'"-Pamela Freeman

"There are cultures that are more forthcoming in public and there are cultures that are less self-disclosing."-Jiwon

"It's even harder with people of color because we have to prove ourselves twice as much as someone who's not of color."-Dollie

"We will not allow a minority person, especially a person of color, to be objectified on stage."-Jonathan Fox