Themed improvisation

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Theme-oriented improvisation (TOI) is a theater method with which viewers , actors and a moderator can work on a common topic or concern in the form of a large group moderation .

Basics

Inspired by improvisational theater , forum theater and psychodrama , this form of theater or large group moderation emerged at the end of the 90s , in which scenes are improvised by specially trained actors on a topic relevant to the audience and then worked on by the audience. An order from the public and prior research are helpful for this. Similar to the forum theater, the process is controlled by another person (moderator). The audience, the actors and the moderator can interrupt and change the scenes at any time. There is no fourth wall as in naturalistic theater formats or in seminar role play . At any time it is possible to question the role figures or to make their inner workings visible through theatrical representations (introspection). The close contact and the numerous interactions between the actors and the moderation with the audience creates a quasi-reality that can contain many perspectives that go beyond the previous view of the audience. The basis for the final theater laboratory is created by giving the audience a work assignment to deal with alternative instructions for the identification figure. In doing so, the actors will implement the alternative scene book, which has been drawn up by audience groups as an example, and will jointly check its effectiveness. Influences from the systemic structure and the collegial case consultation as well as supervision create new forms of topic-oriented improvisation.

application

The scene has stopped and the moderator is asking for additional information from the audience.

If the TOI is used for an audience with a common concern, the audience can quickly gain new insights into their own behavior and jointly explain what they have already learned about the new common behavioral alternative. This improves the sustainability of training in smaller groups. Group sizes of up to 300 participants enable use at large group events in companies and organizations. Intensive training sequences can be implemented for smaller groups. Themed improvisation can be used as a form of corporate theater , for example on these topics:

  • Interviewing for personnel officers: how do I conduct an effective personnel interview ?
  • Occupational safety for production employees : How do we avoid accidents in the workplace through correct behavior?
  • Service staff: How can I provide more individual service and at the same time meet the requirements?

Both management consultants, behavioral trainers and improvisational theater groups offer the method for organizational development and employee events. The method can be used on many behavioral issues. Examples are occupational safety, team development, service quality, management development in the company through to mediation . There are also examples from youth work on topics such as sexuality, drug abuse, violence, and AIDS.

literature

  • Peter Flume, Friederike Tilemann, Reinhold Wehner (eds.): Interactive corporate theater. Topic-oriented improvisation (TOI) in personnel and organizational development. Beltz, Weinheim 2002, ISBN 3-407-36385-0 .