Joe Norris and Mirror Theatre
Assorted Styles of Social Justice Vignettes
Medium: Playbuilding (theatre)
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Introduction
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Artist Statement
These four examples have been chosen of over 100 recent vignettes as they represent a variety of dramatic forms through which evocative scenes can be portrayed. Image theatre with sculpting questions a top-down approach in education and the health care professions. A chorus is used to provide overarching perspectives on the tensions of where to locate a shelter. The shadow screen is employed to a) provide the inner thoughts of the character and b) make the situation general by have various characters’ inner thoughts portrayed and realistic scene at a water cooler, depicts how one might deal with gossip when in a placement. All are conversation starters for casts and audiences to rethink and reconceptualize issues of importance in order to change our word/ourselves by imagining a socially just world through a variety of forum theatre techniques. Photo used for background of credits, Vincent Norris.
These four examples have been chosen of over 100 recent vignettes as they represent a variety of dramatic forms through which evocative scenes can be portrayed. Image theatre with sculpting questions a top-down approach in education and the health care professions. A chorus is used to provide overarching perspectives on the tensions of where to locate a shelter. The shadow screen is employed to a) provide the inner thoughts of the character and b) make the situation general by have various characters’ inner thoughts portrayed and realistic scene at a water cooler, depicts how one might deal with gossip when in a placement. All are conversation starters for casts and audiences to rethink and reconceptualize issues of importance in order to change our word/ourselves by imagining a socially just world through a variety of forum theatre techniques. Photo used for background of credits, Vincent Norris.
Collection of Scenes Using Different Styles
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From: Challenging the Myths: Stories from the Outside and from the Inside of a Women's Shelter
For: Niagara YWCA Women's Shelter |
From: Mental Health Conversation Starters
For: Student Health Service, Brock University |
From: Entrances and Exits: Addressing Possible Iinerpersonal Issues in Co-op Placements
For: Co-op, Career and Experiential Education, Brock University |
From: Challenging the Myths: Stories from the Outside and from the Inside of a Women's Shelter
For: Niagara YWCA Women's Shelter |
Example of two complete projects
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That's Not Me
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Challenging the Myths: Stories from the Outside and from the Inside of a Women’s Shelter
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Joe Norris
Brock University Joe Norris, recipient of the 2015 Tom Barone Award for Distinguished Contributions to Arts Based Educational Research from the Arts Based Educational Research SIG of American Educational Research Association (AERA), teaches drama in education, applied theatre and research methods at Brock University. He has focused his teaching and research on fostering a playful, creative, participatory and socially aware stance toward self and Other. His award-winning book, Playbuilding as Qualitative Research: A Participatory Arts-based Approach, is based upon his extensive work with Alberta cast members of Mirror Theatre Supported by his 2011 Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Insight Development grant entitled, Reuniting Form and Content: Generating, Mediating, & Disseminating Social Science Research & Arts-based Performance Genres through Digital Media, Joe disseminates many of his collaborative performative inquiry projects on his website, www.joenorrisplaybuilding.ca. His and Rick Sawyer’s pioneering book, Understanding Qualitative Research: Duoethnography, was chosen as the 2015 AERA Division D’s Significant Contribution to Educational Measurement and Research Methodology Award. Mirror Theatre, throughout its 25-year history, primarily in Alberta and Ontario, has devised dialogic participatory performance/workshops for community development and educational purposes. Casts, consisting of university students, faculty and staff and members of the wider community, have addressed a range of social justice topics, including person-centred care, implicit bias, homelessness, safe and caring schools, early warning signs of heart disease, interpersonal challenged in practicum placements, academic integrity and mental health. Recent examples will be found in the upcoming second edition, retitled, Playbuilding as Qualitative Research: Health, Wellness, Social Justice and Higher Education, with Routledge. |
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