She Said Yes! is pleased to announce that we are bringing Turkish playwright, theatre professor and expert on Theatre of the Oppressed, Dr. Ebru Gokdag, to St. John’s in 2012 to offer a one-week exclusive workshop on Theatre of the Oppressed techniques, as part of the Women’s Work Festival, co-produced by She Said Yes! with RCA Theatre and White Rooster Theatre. Theatre of the Oppressed is a style of theatre creation which is rarely taught in Newfoundland and we encourage anyone with curiosity to register early as space is limited.

The workshop will take place from Feb. 27 – March 2, 2012, 10 am to 1 pm daily. Registration is $250 for the five-day course, and we are offering an early bird discount until January 15th of just $200. This would make a great Christmas present for the thespian on your list!

This workshop will focus on ‘Forum Theatre’ and ‘Image Theatre’ techniques from the arsenal of the Theatre of the Oppressed (TO) Techniques. TO was born in 1971 in Brazil. It is a system of games and special techniques that aims to develop the language of theatre in order to empower oppressed people, helping them fight against their oppressions by using TO techniques and transforming the society that engenders those oppressions.

This special system is based on games of dialogue. Participants play and learn together. The discipline of the game is the belief that we must re-establish the right of everyone to exist in dignity.  Theatre of the Oppressed can be used in all fields of human activity – social, pedagogical, political, artistic etc.

This workshop will include a brief history of Theatre of the Oppressed, as well as special warm-up exercises and games.  This will be followed by work with the Forum and İmage Theatre Techniques.

Theatre of the Oppressed is by,for and about the oppressed. Anyone with or without any theatre experience can participate in the workshop.

To register, contact Women’s Work Festival Coordinator Ruth Lawrence at whiteroosterproductions@yahoo.ca or text to 709 682 5951.

Check out our other Women’s Work Festival Workshops, Neutral Maks Levels I and II!

Generously supported by the Newfoundland and Labrador Arts Council and the Department of Canadian Heritage.