KIRK DOUGLAS KIRK DOUGLAS - Earthstar

THEATER WORKSHOP BOSTON, INC.OMEGA THEATERCelebrating 40 Yearsof ARTISTIC HEALING Work inthe Greater Boston CommunityIncorporated in 1967, initially in residence at theArlington Street Church and then the first theater inresidence at the Boston Center for the Arts, OmegaTheater spawned multiple acting companies includingOm Theater, The Tribal Players, Reality Theater, OmegaArts Center and Omega Theater. Numerous grants werereceived from The Massachusetts Council on the Artsand Humanity, The National Endowment for the Arts aswell as several corporate, foundation and other governmentgrants. Omega Theater is currently located inBoston in Jamaica Plain. It began as a pioneer experimentaltheater company directed by Co-Founders andArtistic Directors, Julie Portman and Saphira BarbaraLinden, with a creative vision and energy that has contributedto its evolution and endurance for forty years.Numerous theater artists have contributed to the diversedramatic forms brought to many multi-cultural audiencesincluding artists, students, teachers, clergy, families andcorporations who have benefited from not only the creativepotential but the educational and therapeutic potentialof theater as well. The theater’s commitment hasbroadened to training professionals in the art of theaterand drama for personal, professional and global transformation.Today, Omega Theater continues to not only producehealing and educational plays, but also runs the OmegaTranspersonal Drama Therapy Certificate Program underthe direction of Saphira Linden. Transpersonal DramaTherapy utilizes the embodied arts in the recovery fromall forms of abuse, dysfunctional relationships, and associatedlimitations acquired from personal history towardan experience of being fully present and whole. Fromthis consciousness, transpersonal drama therapy offerscreative experiences through which individuals developan awareness of their soul’s journey and potential serviceto expanding human consciousness. The importance ofan embodied creative arts therapy approach is basedupon the premise that transformation toward wholenesscan more easily occur through the experience of workingwith different artistic forms in the service of healing.The next drama therapy training is June 7-17 2007,held at their studio in Jamaica Plain.In the past, Omega Theater has produced originalplays such as Riot, Tribe, Creation, Sunsong, Awakening,The Finding Place, Eartheart and the CosmicCelebration. The theater’s most recent play,Motherblood, created by Saphira Linden and SusanNisenbaum portrays a powerful encounter between anIsraeli and a Palestinian mother, both of whom lost achild in the tragedy of war. Motherblood evolves with thecomplex issues and feelings that are challenging Israelisand Palestinians today.Motherblood was created to be a powerful educationalvehicle for learning about the major issues in theMiddle East conflict from both the Israeli and Palestinianperspectives. The production staff has been workingwith communities engaging synagogues, churches,mosques, high schools, colleges and community groupsto work together to co-sponsor and host together the performance.The two playwright-actresses were motivated towrite Motherblood by the urgency of the Middle East crisis.They wanted to use their gifts as theater artists, therapistsand educators to offer a meaningful creative andeducational experience that would catalyze the audiences’motivation to become involved in envisioningpossibilities for peace.Contact Omega Theater at: (617) 522-8300 or visittheir website, www.OmegaTheater.org.50 EARTH STAR APRIL / MAY 2007