What we offer
TO Facilitator Training
For all those wishing to be trained in the use of Theatre of the Oppressed as a creative tool for individual and community change - artists, activists, educators, health professionals - we offer our annual facilitator trainings, at Level 1 (Basic) and Level 2 (Advanced).
Level 1 will introduce participants, over 6 days, to a wide variety of games, exercises and longer structures drawn from Boal's Games for Actors and Non Actors. There will be in-depth discussions of facilitation issues explained with reference to the theory of Theatre of the Oppressed and the liberatory pedagogy of Paulo Freire, and opportunities to practise facilitation. A short community workshop is also included to give participants an experience of TO in the 'real' world, outside of the training.
Level 2 is offered to those who have completed Level 1 and is designed to give participants hands-on experience of facilitation, detailed and expert feedback, as well as more advanced discussions of the theory and philosophy of TO.
Short Workshops (1 - 2 days)
This is our most popular workshop! This two-day workshop will use several of the well known games and exercises from Boal's Games for Actors and Non Actors, and introduce participants to some of the longer structures in Theatre of the Oppressed such as Image Theatre and Forum Theatre. The workshop is experiential, and the second day allows participants enough time to reflect, ask questions and consolidate their understanding of TO and its application in their own work contexts.
For those who find it difficult to commit to two full days, we offer a one-day intensive workshop. Depending on the group’s physical and other kinds of readiness, it may be possible to attach a Forum to a 1-day workshop.
Several groups of teachers, students and teacher trainers have found the 2 day model very useful
Introduction to TO
New to Theatre of the Oppressed? This 3-hour workshop is the perfect way to get started. We recommend this workshop for people who wish to get a taste of this methodology before they opt for a longer workshop or a facilitator training. Try TO and we guarantee you will come back for more!
TO Courses
Credit Course in TO
For students and teachers in colleges/universities, we offer a course in Theatre of the Oppressed, modelled on university credit courses. These run for a total of 15 hours, 30 hours, or longer. The workshops are scheduled, depending on the convenience of the group, to take place over several days or weeks, with individual sessions of minimum 2-3 hours each. Each session builds on previous sessions in order to give participants a cumulative experience. Therefore we recommend that the sessions not be too spread out.
Curricular Courses using TO as a pedagogy
For students in colleges/universities we also offer to teach courses from the academic curriculum using TO as a teaching methodology. Some of the topics we have been invited to teach are 'Development Communication', 'Social Psychology' , 'Life Skills, Sexuality and Personal Safety', 'Text to Performance'. The course includes an assessment component where students write reflective essays to show their understanding of the subject. Emphasis is placed on students' ability to connect the concepts to everyday life rather than reproduce theoretical formulations from textbooks.
We have taught courses at both undergraduate and post-graduate levels in Mount Carmel College, Christ and Jain Universities (Deemed to be), and Jyoti Nivas College in Bangalore.
Forum Theatre
Are you looking for a powerful and unique tool to address an issue that your community is wrestling with? Then we can bring Forum Theatre to you! Forum Theatre is a participatory and creative tool for community dialogue. We offer Forum Theatre shows using one of the plays that our actors have created. All we need from you is 2 hours of your time and a space to perform.
Or, we can work with you/your community to create a play specially for you, on issues that you wish to address. Issues will be chosen by workshop participants, and the play will be created from stories shared in the workshop.
Read more about our Forum Theatre here
Online TO Workshops
Social distancing and staying indoors? Access our workshops from the safety of your own home.
CCDC has responded to the global pandemic by experimenting with online TO workshops, delivered through video conferencing technology. The feedback we have received so far has been extremely positive. So join us as we take Theatre of the Oppressed online and explore the virtual possibilities of dialogue and change.
Read more about our online TO workshops here
Mentoring Support
As part of CCDC's continued support post the facilitator trainings, we offer mentoring support to those with prior TO experience. We provide mentoring services that cover the theory of TO, instructions and debriefing of specific games and exercises, workshop scheduling, planning workshops on specific themes, and introducing TO to institutions. From theory to practice, and from clarifying doubts to answering questions, the TO mentoring sessions are customized to every individual and will help you fulfill your needs.
If you have facilitated or are interested in facilitating TO workshops and are in need of guidance and support, email us at contact@ccdc.in and we can mentor you through the ins and outs of the process so that you are better prepared and more confident to joker your next session.