It takes a village 

It takes a village 

Context

• The Sterling Playback Theatre Company brought together audiences, actors and musicians on one platform and enacted basic concerns of the audience, from demonetization to how to save money.

The stage of expression

• The mood of the play turned intense as the people began to open up, discussing serious issues, and then observing reactions as the actors presented their stories.
• The performance was clearly cathartic.
• It turned into a stage for expression not just for the actors, but also for the audience.

What is the aim?

• The aim of the school is to take the form to the greater community and utilize the therapeutic benefits of the form to the maximum.

What is the main purpose?

• Playback Theatre is an original form of improvisational theatre in which audience or group members tell stories from their lives and watch them enacted on the spot.
• In a playback theatre event, someone in the audience tells a moment or story from their life, the actors play the different roles, and then all those present watch the enactment, as the story “comes to life” with artistic shape and nuance.
• Actors draw on non-naturalistic styles to convey meaning, such as metaphor or song.
• A therapeutic form is adapted so that individuals can gain insight, catharsis, connection, and self-expression through telling their stories and participating in enacting stories of others.

How does it help?

• By closely recreating real-life situations, and acting them out in the present, individuals have the opportunity to evaluate their behavior and more deeply understand a particular situation in their lives.
• Individuals explore internal conflicts by acting out their emotions and interpersonal interactions on stage. This helps them to derive at appropriate decisions in their real life.

What is Sterling Playback Theatre?

• In India, the Sterling Playback Theatre company, started by Cyril Alexander with wife Amutha Thomas, has just completed 16 years.
• They have done almost 150 performances in the past five years alone. This event was part of a six-day fest to celebrate their 16th anniversary.

The journey of the Theatre

• Sterling School of Playback Theatre was inaugurated on 20 Oct, 2013 by Ms. Bev Hosking, International Playback Theatre Trainer.
• The journey of Playback Theatre in Tamil Nadu started with the Sterling Playback Theatre Company in 2000.
• In the 16 years, 50000 individuals from different communities have experienced and benefitted from this form.
• The experience of Sterling Playback Theatre Company led to the formation of the Sterling School of Playback Theatre.
• Ms. S. Cyril Alexander is the founder of the school. He has completed Leadership course from the International School of Playback Theatre. In 2000, he started the Sterling Playback Theatre Company. He has been a Playback Theatre trainer from the year of 2000 and given many training programmes.