The Life Stories Toolkit A Blueprint for Theatre Artists, Educators, and Service Providers “When we become the storytellers of our lives, we are no longer victims of circumstance. We are artists — who make things happen, who write the next chapter, who change the ending.” — Theatre Lab Co-Founder Deb Gottesman, from her TEDx Talk on Life Stories The Life Stories Toolkit: A Blueprint for Theatre Artists, Educators, and Service Providers Published by: The Theatre Lab School of the Dramatic Arts Authors: Quique Aviles, Deb Gottesman, Ryan Heathcock, Anna Laszlo, Buzz Mauro, Amal Saade, Oran Sandel, and Thomas Workman Designer: Alice Lewis © 2014 The Theatre Lab School of the Dramatic Arts All rights reserved The Theatre Lab School of the Dramatic Arts 733 8th Street, NW Washington, DC 20001 www.theatrelab.org Photo credits: Nicole Boxer, Teresa Castracane, Ryan Heathcock, Colin Hovde, Lauren Kirby, Paul Oberle, Second Glance Photography 2 EVERYONE HAS A STORY TO TELL AND A VOICE THAT DESERVES TO BE HEARD Contents Book1: Is Life Stories for You? What is Life Stories? . 1:2 The Framework of Life Stories .....................................1:2 The Transformative Power of Theatre ...............................1:2 The History and Successes of Life Stories ............................1:3 Who Has Benefited from Life Stories? ..............................1:3 Who Else Could Benefit from Life Stories? ..........................1:4 Life Stories with Homeless Women in Recovery .......................1:5 The Basic Life Stories Model ......................................1:6 Moving Forward ................................................1:6 Book 2: How to Design a Life Stories Program The 5 Ws . 2:2 “Why?” — The Benefits and Rewards of Life Stories Programs ............2:2 “Who?” — The Unique Characteristics of Your Group ..................2:3 “When?” — Finding the Time for Life Stories .........................2:4 “Where?” — Making the Most of Your Surroundings. .2:5 “What?” — Choosing the Life Stories Model That Is Right for Your Group ..2:6 “How?” Creating Your First Life Stories Program . 2:9 The Life Stories Logic Model ......................................2:9 Partner Organization Involvement ..................................2:11 Securing Funding ...............................................2:12 Recruiting Participants ..........................................2:14 Book 3: Generating Life Stories Finding the Story . 3:2 Getting the Creative Juices Flowing .................................3:3 First Group Exercises: Story Stimuli. 3:5 Second Group Exercises: Creating Connectedness .....................3:6 Structuring Your Sessions .........................................3:7 Structuring the Story . 3:9 Developing Extended Stories ......................................3:9 Creating Stories for Dramatization .................................3:10 Acting Out the Story . 3:13 Structured Story Improvs .........................................3:13 Critiquing the Improv ...........................................3:14 Book 4: Delivering Life Stories Rehearsing the Stories . 4:2 What is Rehearsal? ..............................................4:2 A Model for Early Rehearsals ......................................4:4 Producing the Show . 4:7 Finding the Show ...............................................4:7 LIFE STORIES TOOLKIT 3 Outlining the Performance ........................................4:8 Final Stages ...................................................4:9 Film Production ................................................4:12 After the Show .................................................4:16 Book 5: Managing Life Stories Assessing Capacity to Implement Life Stories . 5:2 Implementing Life Stories . 5:5 Funding Sources ................................................5:5 Working with Service Providers: Creating MOUs ......................5:6 Ensuring the Quality of Life Stories Instruction .......................5:7 Evaluating Your Life Stories Program . 5:10 Why Evaluate? .................................................5:10 Informal Evaluations ............................................5:11 Formal Evaluations ..............................................5:11 Building a Multi-Faceted Life Stories Program . 5:12 Celebrating Success . 5:14 Appendices Exercise Appendix . .. A:2 Pass the Object .................................................A:3 Magic Box .....................................................A:4 Imaging to Music ...............................................A:4 Mirror Exercise .................................................A:5 Group Sculptures ..............................................A:6 Name, Feeling, Movement ........................................A:8 Group Stop ....................................................A:8 Physical Energizers ..............................................A:8 Silly Tongue Twisters ............................................A:9 Zip Zap Zop ...................................................A:9 Dump .......................................................A:10 Circle Stories (or Sentence-at-a-Time Stories) ..........................A:11 “Once upon a time…” ...........................................A:11 Pairs Sculptures. A:13 “I Am From…” Poems ...........................................A:14 The Critical Response Process .....................................A:16 The Rules of Improvisation .......................................A:17 Resource Guide . A:18 Creating Your Logic Model .......................................A:19 Sample Flyer ...................................................A:21 Sample Letter of Intent ..........................................A:22 Sample Memorandum of Understanding ............................A:26 Image Release ..................................................A:28 Evaluation Models ..............................................A:29 Further Reading ................................................A:32 Further Watching. A:32 4 EVERYONE HAS A STORY TO TELL AND A VOICE THAT DESERVES TO BE HEARD Acknowledgments The concept of Life Stories has developed over many years with the input of many talented people. The program would not exist at all with- out the extraordinary work of the instructors who have taught it at The Theatre Lab over the last fifteen years: Quique Aviles, Jose Carrasqui- llo, Vince Eisenson, Karen Friedman, Ryan Heathcock, Michael Mack, Nia Medina, Matt Miller, Jennifer Nelson, Elizabeth Pringle, Amal Saade, Amy Saidman, Oran Sandel, Thomas Workman, and especially Michael Rodgers, who was not only our longtime partner at The The- atre Lab, but also taught the very first Life Stories program. They have our deepest gratitude. Many thanks to Theatre Lab Board Chair Diane Willkens for her vision and leadership in the creation of the Life Stories Institute, and to the staff of The Theatre Lab — Elizabeth Heir, Terah Herman, Bonnie Morrison, George Page, and Dane Petersen — for their skills, energy and commitment. Thanks, too, to everyone at N Street Village, longtime partner in our most extensive Life Stories project, especially Executive Director Schro- eder Stribling, Ann McCreedy and Kristyn Carrillo, and to the many women who have participated in that project over the years, especially those who performed My Soul Look Back and Wonder at the Kennedy Center and have continued to inspire people with their stories. We are deeply grateful to Calvary Baptist Church and Pastor Amy Butler for providing a loving home for The Theatre Lab and our Life Stories programs. Special thanks to Anna Laszlo, coauthor of this toolkit, for her exper- tise, hard work and good humor. We dedicate this toolkit to the more than 2,000 courageous people who have shared their Life Stories through The Theatre Lab’s programs and, in so doing, have transformed not only their own narratives, but also those of countless others who have gained strength by learning they are not alone in their struggles. Deb Gottesman and Buzz Mauro Co-Executive Directors The Theatre Lab School of the Dramatic Arts LIFE STORIES TOOLKIT 5 The Life Stories Toolkit: BOOK 1 Is Life Stories for You? What is Life Stories? “ Theatre is The Framework of Life Stories The Theatre Lab’s Life Stories program is founded on the premise that where your life choices can be safely, yet powerfully, brought into focus, examined, and re-envisioned through dramatic expression. story meets Under the guidance of trained instructors, Life Stories participants my story and take artistic control of their personal narratives and transform them into films or dramatic works for the stage. becomes OUR If you’re interested in facilitating such a program in your own com- munity, this toolkit will teach you how. story.” — Oran Sandel, The Transformative Power of Theatre Life Stories Instructor Artists, whether actors, musicians, painters, or dancers, instinctively know the transformational power that their art has for them — tapping into their deepest emotions, strengthening their sense of self, and con- necting them to their community. But what about people who have never thought of themselves as art- ists, or never had the opportunity to develop their artistic impulses? What can the theatre arts offer to them? Studies by both theatre professionals and psychologists have proven the value of dramatic self-expression in achieving therapeutic goals. Accord- ing to the North American Drama Therapy Association (NADTA) “the intentional use of dramatic processes … [can] facilitate personal growth, enhance self-worth, instill more