THEATER GAMES

For energetic kids and adults, this workshop opens the door to creativity and brings people together in the name of fun.  Participants will play games that can be used as icebreakers or to build specific theater skills.  Exercising the body and mind, these games help people to break through inhibitions and explore themselves in a new way.  HartBeat can teach this workshop for community groups, churches, organizations, and for students of any age.

ENSEMBLE THEATER

While many theater companies choose to produce one person shows because of ease and cost, HartBeat Ensemble believes that the magic of theater comes from collective creation.  This workshop replaces the roles of playwright, director and actor with an ensemble of artists working toward a collective vision.  Participants will learn about the tradition of Ensemble Theater and develop tools for healthy communication, story telling and group improvisation.

PHYSICAL THEATER

This workshop helps participants find the language of physicality. Using techniques borrowed from Augusto Boal’s Image Theater, Viola Spolin’s Improvisation and the historic craft of Commedia Dell’Arte, HartBeat gets actors out of their heads and into their bodies.

TRAINING FOR TRAINERS

Teachers, counselors, community leaders and supervisors can always use theater in their work.  This workshop focuses on how to use HartBeat’s theater techniques as a tool in the classroom, boardroom, camp or union hall. Teachers can learn how to create theater games and performances to enhance their curriculum.  Community or labor leaders will learn how to train their participants in creative activism.  HartBeat tailors the workshop to the specific needs of the organization.

CREATIVE ACTIVISM – STREET THEATER

This workshop combines elements of our physical theater and play building workshops while adding the specific skills necessary for street performance.  Exploring various burning issues, this workshop focuses on capturing the attention of bystanders, using humor and imagery to communicate and interacting with audience members.  Characters and story replace placards and chants at strikes, marches, rallies and the average sidewalk.

CONFLICT RESOLUTION (workshop or assembly)

This activity features three segments. In the first segment, HartBeat performs a scene illustrating a conflict.  The scene ends with the characters alienating themselves from one another.  During the second segment, HartBeat facilitates a discussion in which audience members suggest alternative actions for the characters that might change the outcome of the scene.  In the final segment, HartBeat replays the scene with the suggested alternative.   Whether or not the suggestion helps the characters, the process provides a fun way for participants to learn conflict resolution skills. HartBeat has created scenes about racial difference, gender roles, class issues and sexuality.   Scenes can also be customized to deal with a particular issue that is relevant to the organization.

CONFLICT RESOLUTION – Build-a-Play

In this workshop/assembly, HartBeat creates a scene on the spot based on audience input. The scene illustrates a problem that is relevant to the particular audience.  Once the scene has been created and performed, HartBeat facilitates a discussion in which audience members suggest alternative actions for the characters that might change the outcome of the scene.  In the final segment, HartBeat replays the scene with the suggested alternative.   Whether or not the suggestion helps the characters, the process provides a fun way for participants to learn conflict resolution skills.

PLAY BUILDING RESIDENCY

HartBeat’s Play Building Residencies can be anywhere from three days to four weeks long.  During this time, HartBeat guides the participants through the ensemble process of creating and performing their own play about an issue that is important to the group.  The residency culminates in a public performance of the new play.

Photo credits for this website include:

Larry Bilansky

Jean Molodetz