Pittsburgh Playback Theatre presents
Jerusalem to Pittsburgh . . .
Building Bridges to Coexistence
Where: Frick Fine Arts Building, University of Pittsburgh, Schenley Circle, Oakland
What: Improv Theatre from Pittsburgh and the Middle East
When: Monday, October 27, 2008, 8:00 PM
How (much): Free admission
Why:
Pittsburgh Playback Theatre partners with the YMCA to present a very special evening of improv theatre . . . JERUSALEM TO PITTSBURGH. . . BUILDING BRIDGES TO COEXISTENCE.
A group of professional artists – Jews, Muslims and Christians from Middle East communities –are in Pittsburgh for two weeks sharing their stories, differences and similarities as well as learning “Playback,” interactive, improvisation theatre.
For one night only, Monday, October 27th at 8 PM at the Frick Fine Arts Building, witness the results. Experience a unique improv collaboration of the artists from the Middle East, the audience and Pittsburgh Playback Theatre. Come watch and share your feelings, thoughts, stories . . . and discover the magic of seeing them “played-back.” Watch as the performers and audience build a sense of connection and community. . . . while communication filled with laughter, tears, doubt and hope helps build bridges to peaceful coexistence.
PPT is led by Roni Ostfield and Rich Keitel and features:
Amy Guterson, Demetria Marsh, Paulo Nzambi, Ido Roll and Andrea Scheve, with Nicole Accuardi, Ashley Archambeau, Jewel Barber, Brittany Bradley, Gentry Thurman and Emmitt Zitelli.
The Moderate Voices for Progress (MVP) program is a joint initiative of the Jerusalem International YMCA and the YMCA of Greater Pittsburgh. The agencies recruited a group (comprised of professional artists – Jews, Muslims, Christians, aged 25 – 35, from Middle East communities) to learn about each other at home and for 2 weeks in Pittsburgh. They are working with professional facilitators, Pittsburgh Playback Theatre, Pittsburgh universities and colleges, faith based and internationally focused organizations to learn about each other and build mutual tolerance and peaceful understanding. The hope is that these young adults in the arts and humanities will educate and inspire others to build peaceful coexistence.
MVP features:
Ori Alon, Gilad Cohen, Ayelet Erel, Moshe Levy Eskenazi, Tarik Jaber, George Kandalaft, Adi Khalifa, Uri Noy-Meir, Hani Salman, Hila Tuaf, Adi Zemach and Souzan Zoabi.
Playback Theatre is an original form of improvisational theatre in which audience members or group members tell stories from their lives and watch them enacted on the spot. Whether in theatres, workshops, educational or clinical settings, Playback Theatre draws people closer as they see their common humanity.
Playback Theatre’s mission is to encourage and foster individual human rights and community dialogue through personal improvisational theatre by facilitating the narration of diverse opinions, recollections and stories; listening, empathy, vitality and hope.
Since its founding in 1975 in New York, Playback Theatre has reached hundreds of settings and locations with artists on five continents (International Playback Theatre Network).
Pittsburgh Playback Theatre was founded in 1985 by Roni Ostfield and has performed for private and public audiences from birthday parties with laughter and jokes to tributes to Holocaust survivors with horror, tears and hope. PPT has also worked on many joint theatrical projects with very special groups, among them: the Lost Boys of Sudan, the Somali teens and Hashim Mersal, a Darfur refugee.
Films of Previous Pittsburgh Playback Theatre Works
From 1999 to 2001, Piitsburgh Playback Theatre developed an HIV-AIDS awareness program thhat was presented in over 100 schools and community centers. Teenagers were trained as actors and facilitators, and presented scenes to prompt discussion on how to prevent and deal with HIV-AIDS. The project was funded by the Pennsylvania Department of Health and sponsored by the University of Pittsburgh.
In 2003 Pittsburgh Playback Theatre worked with Sudanese refugees that we re-settled in Pittsburgh. Young men were encouraged to tell their stories, which were developed into an informal play and performed at community centers. The project was funded by Catholic Charities and the Multicultural Arts Alliance.
Files available for download are .AVI files. Please right-click on image to download. It is recommended that, due to file size, these files should only be downloaded by visitors with DSL or broadband connections.
