Shelter Project Brings Theater of The Oppressed Workshop To Residents

On October 13th, QEJ’s monthly Know Your Rights Training gathered a stunning 60 people from support groups from 5 different shelters in Manhattan and Brooklyn. Unlike other “Know Your Rights” Workshops that have focused on legal issues, skills-building, and better accessing services, this month’s training focused on conflict resolution, but using Augusto Boal’s Theater of the Oppressed methods to explore these issues, led by Kayhan Irani from Theater of the Oppressed Laboratory and the idea for the workshop was conceived by our fall MSW Shelter intern, all the way from Denmark, Kris Vinther.

What is Theater of the Oppressed?

The Theater of the Oppressed, established in the early 1970s by Brazilian director and Workers’ Party (PT) activist Augusto Boal, is a form of popular theater, of, by, and for people engaged in the struggle for liberation. More specifically, it is a rehearsal theater designed for people who want to learn ways of fighting back against oppression in their daily lives. In the Theater of the Oppressed, oppression is defined, in part, as a power dynamic based on monologue rather than dialogue; a relation of domination and command that prohibits the oppressed from being who they are and from exercising their basic human rights. Accordingly, the Theater of the Oppressed is a participatory theater that fosters democratic and cooperative forms of interaction among participants. Theater is emphasized not as a spectacle but rather as a language designed to: 1) analyze and discuss problems of oppression and power; and 2) explore group solutions to these problems. This language is accessible to all.

Participants explored situations of conflict, violence, isolation and repression. The exercises give people a chance to express thoughts and feeling in a different way, using the body.The exercises created new perspectives on conflicts and conflict resolutions. All topics for further discussions in the support groups in the shelters.

Given the huge turnout, and expressed interest in doing more Theatre of the Oppressed by attendees, we will be working to do more workshops as part of our work in the shelter system with LGBTQ people. Since we are also preparing for a campaign to challenge violence in the sheters against LGBTQ folks, this workshop will act as a method to both organize queer and trans homeless people, but to also provide some real tools to deal with the violence and marginalization experienced by the homeless.

Million thanks to all the amazing participants for creating an energetic, joyful and powerful atmosphere with lots of laughter and action, – and thanks to all the great volunteers who helped make it all happen.