What is Playback Theatre?
Over the course of 90 minutes, I might be a chair, grief, loneliness, the Teller’s mom, Susan, another Teller’s son, John, the wind, God, a house, and, for good measure, a dog. And the fun (and sometimes scary) part is, at the beginning of those 90 minutes, I had absolutely no idea I was going to portray all of those characters.
Welcome to the world of Playback Theatre, an improvisational art form that incorporates storytelling, music, movement, and drama to help people feel seen, heard, and connected on a very deep level.
I’ve been a Playback Theatre practitioner since 2010, and it was love at first “Let’s watch.”
Ok, if this is all a foreign concept to you, let me back up and start from the beginning.
Playback Theatre began in 1975 in New York by Jonathan Fox and Jo Salas. It is now performed 60+ countries and used in a variety of contexts such as healthcare, education, nonprofits, businesses, community organizations, and more.
To the best of my knowledge, Compassionate Coaching is the only company world-wide which specializes in bringing Playback Theatre to the forefront of conversations on aging, death, and grief.
A Playback Theatre performance, which is usually 60-90 minutes long, incorporates a theme and a corresponding prompt or prompts. Here at Compassionate Coaching, we work with you to learn about your team or group and help develop the prompt(s) that will be the best fit for your team and your goals for them. Here are some prompts we have used:
How have you moved from being uncomfortable to comfortable talking about death?
How do you find joy?
How do you keep yourself well?
What is your best memory working here?
A Playback Theatre performance can be open to the public, or it can be a modality specifically used for a team, company, or organization.
A Playback troupe is a force to be reckoned with. When Compassionate Coaching offers a Playback Theatre performance, we bring a team of talented deep listeners:
1 Conductor / Facilitator
1-2 Musicians
3-4 Actors
1 Zoom Manager for virtual performances
(Yes, we can do Playback on zoom!!!)
A Playback performance often begins with a song by our Musician. Music activates many parts of the brain, including those connected with emotion and reward. This sets the stage for participants to enter the experience with more readily-available emotions.
Next, the Playback Conductor - who is an expert at holding space, deep listening, and facilitating - will engage the participants.
Now this beginning process can go any number of ways, depending on the comfort level of the participants. The Conductor might:
Start with some sociometry, to help participants build connections
Invite the Playback Troupe to share their stories about the theme first, modeling the vulnerability needed for storytelling
Ask participants to share stories from the recent past before the deeper dive into the theme - they might say, “Tell me something that’s happened to you today”
Invite participants to a “dance party!” It’s a fun way to get people moving, laughing, and connecting with each other
Once someone volunteers to share a story, the Conductor works one-on-one with them (the “Teller,”) summarizing and asking clarifying questions along the way. Everyone - participants and Playback Troupe - are listening deeply as the Teller shares their story.
If this was all we did - just created a safe space where people could share their stories - it would be pretty awesome. And yet this is the moment where the true beauty unfolds.
After the Teller shares their story, the Playback Musician and Actors immediately “play back” the Teller’s story, elevating it with music, movement, and drama, capturing the story’s deeper meaning and emotions in the artistic re-telling. As Playback Practitioners, we aren’t there to entertain. We are citizen actors whose sole job it is to honor the story that was told. We listened to the Teller’s story on a deep level, paying attention to both the nuanced details as well as the underlying emotions. When we “play back” the story, we pour our own heart, soul, and yes sometimes tears, into the re-telling.
”Whose Line is it Anyway?” this is not.
Why is this “playing back” so helpful and so cathartic? When we see our story played back, we are able to look at that story with new insights and depth. It can help provide clarity, a new perspective, and sometimes even closure. And remember that the playing back is not just a re-telling. No-Sireee-Bob. Remember how I said I could be portraying anything from a chair to God, from the wind to grief itself? The sky is the limit - the Actors can choose to portray any relative “character” from the story - living, nonliving, named, implied, etc.
And don’t forget the music. The Musician has probably the hardest role in the Playback troupe, and the music is usually the component that people comment most on. Imagine that, while the actors are playing back your story, there is also an improvised soundtrack to go along with it. An improvised soundtrack to the story you just shared from your own life. It’s incredibly powerful.
After someone’s story is played back, there is a moment of honoring and checking in. The Actors and Musician make eye contact with the Teller. We want to show our gratitude for the honor of playing back your story. The Conductor checks in with the Teller as well, briefly, to see if we captured the story.
And then, it’s on to the next Teller! The Conductor invites someone else to share a story, based on the prompt. After their story is shared, the Actors and Musician “play back” that new story, elevating it with music, movement, and drama. Everyone connects on a very deep level, seeing our shared humanity in a whole new light.
“If you want to experience something that will reconnect you with humanity, attend a Compassionate Coaching Playback performance. Our human connections are beautifully revealed.”
The playing back can really pull your heartstrings, and it can really fill your soul with joy. Ah, the human experience - if we’re awake to it, we feel it all - grief, joy, sorrow, anticipation, fear, love, anger, sadness, confusion, guilt, happiness - all of it. The Actors play back all that the Teller brought forth, even emotions that were present yet unsaid. And all the participants witnessing the playing back are there for all of it.
It’s transformative. Cathartic. Memorable. Our Playback Theatre events are perfect for:
Conferences
Networking events
Community events
Team building or team retreats
“This experience was powerful and unexpected. Our team was surprised, engaged, and thankful. Everyone was really impressed with the experience and quality of the performers/musicians. Best experience you have never had before!”
Want to learn more? Schedule a call with me so that we can get the conversation started! Click the button below to get on my calendar.
Do you want to experience Playback for FREE? We are hosting a webinar on Wednesday, Oct 9th, at 1PM Eastern. Click here to register!