Theatre for Community Conflict and Dialogue: The Hope Is Vital Training Manual

by Michael Rohd

The first step forward in working with today's youth is to create a dialogue, and that is exactly what this exciting new book does. It helps you provide opportunities for young people to open up and explore their feelings through theatre, offering a safe place for them to air their views with dignity, respect, and freedom. The purpose of this manual is to provide a clear look at the process and specifics involved in the Hope Is Vital interactive theatre techniques. The organization is sequential, providing a blueprint for creating a workable plan. Beginning with warm-up exercises and bridging activities, the process moves forward to improvisational scenework, where students actually replace characters in the stories. It is at this point that young people engage in their own mini-theatre and look at choices, strategies, and communication. Teachers will want to read this book. Counselors will want to read this book. Community leaders will want to read this book. It is useful in any group setting or as a tool for outreach.

Genres: Theatre, Nonfiction, Education

176 pages, Paperback

First published May 26, 1998

Reviews

[Aryiel Everett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Used as a guide for Theatre of the Oppressed. Has theatre games ranging from warmups into deeper work. There is reference to Boals work and distinct difference as well. Rohd does a great job of giving you just enough backnstory before leading into the art of the games. The variations are great for each game!

Had this book in college and needed it for a project that I am doing currently great to refresh and feel some nostalgia while reading.

This is s great guide and resource!

[Joni Newman · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you work with groups who have experienced any kind of trauma or conflict, this book provides an excellent guide on how to work through those issues constructively. It really has stood the test of time and is one of those rare books you're assigned for school but just love.

[Ryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wish I had this book when I was the advisor for my school’s drama club. A lot of these activities would have been perfect for my students. If I ever pick up drama club again I’ll definitely have a copy of this handy.

[Eliot Fiend · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book is awesome. it is a training manual in the sense that it is immediately useful, applicable, and empowering; rohd gives the reader the tools to create peer education theatre programs around social issues, organize a one-time community or professional workshop that uses theatre to address relevant issues, or a broad range of other applications for this work. i appreciate the structure of the book: oriented toward designing workshops, it moves gently from "warm-up material," exercises that build trust and ensemble, to "bridge work" that begins to generate creative material and prepare the group for deeper or more difficult dialogue, and then improv and "activating material," which uses sculpting, monologues, and other exercises to generate powerful material for use in the workshop or peer/community education.

highly recommend this book for teachers, folks who work with peer educators, theatre-makers itching to build relevant work, and improv groups looking to work with issues in their community. or you can start playing in your living room!

thank you, thank you, thank you!

[Hunter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Astounding, elegant, nimble, endlessly helpful book full of exercises as well as articulate longer passages on why this is crucial work. Big fan of Michael!

[Dennis · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book I have read and re-read. A great source of how to use theater games to explore civic dialogue with various types of community groups.

[Leann · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great manual for creating a community workshop process. It draws from Boal and commonly used methods to build an easily-adjustable guide for creating community performances.