In this issue:

• 11TH Annual Summer T.O. Training
• Poetic Justice Theatre Ensemble Update
• Other Project Highlights

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info@mandalaforchange.com

Spaces are still available for our annual summer T.O. training intensive in Port Townsend, WA.  Participants join us from across the U.S. and abroad for this playful and provocative week.  See the following for basics.  For more details, go to our website or contact: info@mandalaforchange.com or 360-344-3435.

THEATRE OF THE OPPRESSED FACILITATOR'S TRAINING:
WAGING PEACE - DESIGNING JUSTICE
Our 11th annual version of this 6-day training will focus on community building games, Image Theatre, Forum Theatre, some Rainbow of Desire techniques, and will culminate in an interactive public Forum Theatre performance / community dialogue around social justice issues on Friday night. For beginner as well as more experienced practitioners seeking to deepen their work.
Facilitated by Marc Weinblatt

The Poetic Justice Theatre Ensemble, now in its 7th season as a community service project of the Mandala Center, is in full swing with 10 performances in 5 local senior residential facilities during February sponsored by the "Art to Elders" program.  We have been using an original Forum play, "Loss", as a centerpiece for dialogue around the residents' real life struggles as well as their joys.  "Loss" was developed by ensemble members based on their own life experiences as well as our previous work with elders.  We have also been using Image work and Playback Theatre techniques to engage and involve the audience. 

Though some of our interactive performances are open to the public, many are oriented for specific audiences around shared concerns.  Poetic Justice's mission is, in part, that of local community service so much of what we do is offered free of charge when in support of marginalized populations. Please let us know if your organization is interested in having us provide a performance / dialogue with your group. If you wish to be kept informed and possibly attend any Port Townsend area performances relevant to you, please make sure we have your e-mail and specify that we put you on our  "LOCAL LIST."

Some current and upcoming projects of the Mandala Center include:

Anti-Oppression "Train the Trainers" workshops for Global Visionaries Seattle, WA - Nov. 2008.

Continuing our long-term relationship with Global Visionaries (GV), Cheryl Harrison and Marc Weinblatt led a training session to prepare youth leaders to facilitate T.O. based Anti-Oppression workshops. These select youth then lead retreats in the winter and spring as part of GV's program for high school students who participate in service trips to Guatemala.  This further develops GV's commitment to generating dialogue around racism, sexism, classism, and imperialism as it relates to the students' lives at home and as U.S. travelers in rural Central America.  For more info on GV, go to: http://www.global-visionaries.org/

Rainbow of Desire events on diversity / anti-oppression issues
     1) Int'l Council of Fine Arts Deans conference - Portland, OR; Oct. 2008
     2) Highline Community College - Des Moines, WA; Jan. 2009
Marc Weinblatt facilitated two Rainbow of Desire events on diversity issues using Mandala's unique adaptation of the Rainbow of Desire structure when working with polarizing issues.  In both cases, pre-scripted scenes were developed by "actors" from the contracting organization then performed as a springboard for the Rainbow process.  No personal story was used but instead the scenerios were developed to represent archetypical moments that the population at hand might relate to - racism with university Arts Deans (the former) and sexism with community college students (the latter.)  Both events were highly successful with much participation and a depth of dialogue that relatively rare for most groups but often common with T.O.