Staging Social Justice: Collaborating to Create Activist Theatre

Introduction

1 Introduction Norma Bowles We’re all back on dry land now—more or less—and we’re enjoying a wee rest from our crazy-wild and definitely eventful odysseys. We’ve navigated bumpy roads, treacherous waters, and political, ethical, psychological, legal, and aesthetic minefields. We’ve crisscrossed the United States, from union halls in California to Rotary Clubs in New Hampshire, from high school cafetoriums in Texas and homeless shelters in North Carolina to university theatres in Iowa and Ohio. We’ve tested our mettle in all-too-brief forays across our northern borders into Canadian black box theatres, across the ocean into British classrooms , and across two hemispheres into Aussie schools, theatres . . . and pubs. We’ve joined together in small, tireless bands—artists and activists, teachers and students, outsiders and insiders, youths and adults—striving arm-in-arm, cheek-by-jowl, enduring endless hours of talking and listening, writing and editing and reediting, and reediting , and finally rehearsing and touring in hopes that we might Change the World! We’ve taken on diverse pernicious and ignoble adversaries—racism, classism, sexism, homophobia, and discrimination based on size. And we’ve championed various weighty and noble causes—immigration rights, marriage equality, and the employment of formerly incarcerated women. And we’re a little tired— but undaunted! “We” are Fringe Benefits,1 Dan, Norma, and the twenty-nine other individuals who have contributed their reflections and analyses to this anthology, all participants in one or more capacities in one or more Theatre for Social Justice Institutes. “We” are also the other 1,000-plus artists, activists, teachers, students, youth, and adults who collaborated to create activist plays in these twenty-five Institutes and/or Norma Bowles 2 to produce and present one of those activist plays to audiences we hoped to inspire to join our fight for social justice. Perhaps by reflecting on our experiences and sharing them in this anthology, we can provide a navigational chart of the challenging terrain we traversed while working together to address social justice issues through theatre. Perhaps our methodology, developed and refined in the course of twenty-five collaborations over a period of five years, can be of use to other theatre activists. It’s a complex and demanding but replicable and effective process. Perhaps, too, some of the positive outcomes we have achieved— creating friendships and coalitions within our Institutes; changing hearts, minds, even votes; and launching new theatre and/or activist groups on our campuses—may inspire others to do this crazy, hard work as well! Where We’re Coming From “Theatre for Social Justice” is an umbrella term for a wide range of work, including activist community art, agitprop, community cultural development, community-based theatre, devised theatre, grassroots theatre, participatory arts projects, political theatre, Theatre for Civic Engagement, Theatre and Social Change, and Theatre of the Oppressed, to name only a few.2 Theatre for Social Justice and community-based theatre are, arguably , as old as the art of theatre itself and as widespread and diverse as the communities from which they spring. Broadly speaking, these art forms can be described as “creative expression that emerges from communities of people working together to improve their individual and collective circumstances, . . . ‘communities’ that include not only geographical places, but also groups of people identified with historical or ethnic traditions, or dedicated to a particular belief or spirit” and/or who share certain social or political concerns (deNobriga and Schwarzman 3). Theatre for Social Justice practitioners and companies run the gamut from Augusto Boal’s Center for Theatre of the Oppressed in Rio de Janeiro to the San Francisco Mime Troupe; from Zambia’s Chikwakwa Theatre to Reverend Billy and the Church of Stop Shopping, based in New York City; from Appalshop of West Virginia to Los Angeles– based Cornerstone Theater Company; and from Pakistan’s Interactive Resource Center to the Peryante street players in the Philippines to the Introduction 3 international “Women in Black” antiwar movement.3 Over the years, Fringe Benefits has drawn guidance, ideas, and inspiration from these and myriad other activist theatre individuals and groups. Collaboratively Developed Activist Theatre We are living in scary times. It is becoming more and more challenging every day for most of the world’s population to have our voices included in the decision-making processes that affect every aspect of our lives. Now, more than ever, it is imperative for marginalized individuals...