Theater games as peacemaking and community building exercises

Community Intuition, Improvisation, and Theater games; Check out these ideas on these links . . .

http://earthninjas.com/?p=83

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsgeyKPYET4

http://www.spolin.com/

http://www.secondcity.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viola_Spolin

Be sure to check out this blog and its podcasts for great community building ideas!

http://www.mythic-cartography.org/2008/03/27/the-nature-of-the-village-c...

http://www.mythic-cartography.org/2008/04/07/podcast-an-interview-with-l...

Awesome Creativity The ability to play is with us from birth. Recognizing this source of energy, Viola Spolin created the world of improv games popularly applied to theater disciplines. These games are responsible for most improvisation circles such as the world famous Second City theatre in Chicago. But the work of these games is far more profound than mere comedy, they explore the gamut of emotion and archetype. Spolin herself used them as peacemaking and community building exercises among inner city kids in Chicago. Her games have developed currency well beyond actor training. Her systems are in use internationally not only in university, community, and professional theater training programs, but also in countless curricula concerned with agile teams, non-verbal and non-violent communication. Her work opens the experience of play to people of all ages and interest.

Through Spolin games, play emerges naturally and spontaneously; age, background, and content are irrelevant. There are games to free the player of tension, games to unburden the player of subjective preconceptions, games of relationship and character, games of concentration. By using techniques of physicalization, spontaneity, intuition, audience, and transformation a group of players is able to achieve high functioning one-mindedness. These games heighten sensitivity, increase self-awareness, and effect group and interpersonal communication.