MFA Dissertation Research

One purpose of community-engaged work is to build and reflect the community; to allow their voice to be heard. This research will explore the relationship between the professional artist facilitator and participants in a community-engaged setting while applying devised theatre practices. The facilitating artist brings to the group their expertise in playmaking and storytelling.  The research will center on how a facilitating artist might approach devising a community-engaged performance project with awareness of his/her ability to influence the group. How can the facilitator channel their influence to provide productive guidance for the collective creativity in order to honor the community’s intent and minimize the distortion created by the facilitator’s perspective? Are there guidelines that can be established in order to ensure that the community’s voice is undiluted? From this research a roadmap of perils and pitfalls, signs to look for that indicate tension/discomfort within the group, and techniques and tips for productively refocusing the group’s work will be created. The objective of the research is to formulate a philosophy on facilitation that aligns with my artistic mission and values, ensuring that the work truly builds and reflects the communities from which is it produced.