Facilitated by Marc Weinblatt from the 

Mandala Center for Change 

This is a unique training opportunity for local Eugene area people to learn the basics of Augusto Boal’s world renowned Theater of the Oppressed (T.O.) and Playback Theater from Marc Weinblatt, an internationally recognized leader who studied with Boal has worked with diverse communities ranging from police to homeless youth, grassroots organizers and laborers to University deans. Internationally, he has worked with activists in Norway, Holland, and Canada, youth workers in Guatemala, refugees in Azerbaijan, ex-combatants in Northern Ireland, construction workers in South Africa, slum families in India, community workers in the Republic of Congo, and victims of war in Afghanistan.

Playback Theater honors and serves the Teller’s real life story whereas T.O. includes personal stories as a springboard for the collective exploration. Both forms are interactive; both forms use physical imagery and improvisation; and both forms create a space for people to share stories, listen, heal and take action. They also are tremendous tools for movement-building around burning social justice issues.

For the workshop participants:

• New and renewed courage and confidence in interactive theater

• Inspiration and networking connections for future collaboration/participation 

• Affirmation of their creative selves which results in greater generosity in all of their endeavors and relations

• A reminder of their shared humanity and grace for themselves and others

For the workshop helpers:

• An opportunity to take action, to give, to collaborate

• An opportunity to champion the values of inclusion and kindness while addressing the needs of the community, and in particular supporting the artists and leaders toward greater action themselves

• Helping to inform the community at large by sharing the stories of the underserved

• Love in action; hospitality and generosity

• A sense of teamwork in bettering the community

For the workshop audience:

• An opportunity to be included, either by offering direction, suggestion, participation, or personal story... or by witnessing and thereby supporting the creation of the group

• An opportunity to learn more about how theater can minister to the needs of people emotionally, intellectually, and spiritually

• An opportunity to learn more about other humans and the stories they carry, the lives they live, and the hopes they long for

• An opportunity to support the work of Outreach Theater and influence the direction going forward with their feedback or participation

For the community: 

• Interactive Theater Events
  We hope to produce several Forum Theater events in public venues during 2025 and beyond.

• For future audiences:
  Greater community understanding, grace, growth, learning and harmony. People feel valued by being heard and they are kinder to one another once they see themselves in one another. We hope to honor everyone’s story and grow together.