Group Education Manual - Peace Corps Wiki

Handout 11A: Theatrical Performances/Street DramaWhen designing the performance, keep the following in mind:AudienceIdentifying your audience is the first step toward ensuring that the performance and its messages reach theright people. While you may consider targeting only one particular audience, you might find that theperformances are appropriate for a variety of audiences. Ask yourself these questions:• Who do you want to reach (e.g., church groups, young men, young women, local political forums orcommunity leaders, ladies groups, etc.)?• When and where can this audience be reached?• How will the audience be reached? What will you use to draw your audience to the play or performance?• How will you entertain your audience?• What interesting elements can your play employ to engage the audience? Some ideas include:ooInterrupting the play at various points to ask the audience what should happen nextUsing Ambush Theater, which means staging the play in a “public” place so that theaudience is not aware that this is actually a performance (See example below.)Theme/Key MessageWhen planning your performance, it is important to determine its central theme. You will then need toidentify three key messages you want the performance to communicate. This will help keep the performancefocused. Too many messages may confuse the audience.Production/Human Resources?You’ll need a variety of people to carry out and develop a performance.• One or more people to coordinate and retain overall responsibility for the event. This person orpersons should be motivated and able to work well with others to ensure that the plans for theperformance remain on track.• One or more people to develop the performance. This person or persons needs to be creative and tounderstand what will appeal to the audience.• People who can serve as actors. You may want to pick multiple people to learn each role, in casesomeone isn’t available on the day of a performance.Financial ResourcesWhen planning your performance, you will need to identify your financial needs. For example, the actor(s)may require loud speakers, or if they are traveling to different communities, they will need funds fortransportation.91