The Interactive Theatre Forum

     An e5m performance usually begins with "Voices," a guerrilla
theatre interpretation involving the performers, the facilitator,
the director(s), and group members who have come to participate in
the dialogue. Without warning, participants rise from their seats
to quickly utter phrases that alternately express the voices of
rape survivors and rape perpetrators, including those who
unwittingly support rape by blaming the victim. The phrases are
performed in the point-counterpoint sequenece arranged in
rehersal, e.g. "If you didn't want to do it, why'd you kiss
him?"/"I said no."/"But no means yes, right?"/"Wrong. What part of
'no' did you not understand, the 'n' or the 'o'?"/"Everyone knows
she's a slut."/"So what does that make him?"/"For God's sake,
report it."/"Please. I don't need you to tell me what to do, I
just need your support."
     "Voices" is followed by a group interpretation of shange's
"with no immediate couse" and solo interpreatation of the selected
poetry of the various other political poets in our repertoire;
June Jordan and Marge Piercy and among our favorites. Participants
perform these peices in groups, in pairs, or alone in the sequence
arranged in rehersal.
     At this point in the program, audience members are usually
buzzing with thoughts, questions, and emotions. Taking advantage
of the stir that has been created, the facilitator introduces
herself and the group, and the group members take their seats. The
facilitator then describes the interactive theatre process and the
audience's role in that process. She ends the introduction with a
warning about the sensitive nature of the material, and
acknowledgement that strong emotions are a normal reaction to the
witnesing of a rape enactment, a promise that group members will
be on hand after the program to answer any questions, and a plea
that if the program raises issues that should be discussed in
private, please contact the University R.A.P.E. Center.
     After the actors perform the scene, the facilitaor introduces
the characters and invites the audience to ask questions. The
facilitator guides the aduience and the characters through an in
depth exploration of the issues raised. Once the key points have
been covered, the actors and invited to come out of character and
to share with the audience their own positions on the issues
raised. The facilitator encourages the actors and audience to
continue the discussion, this time withthe actors participating
authentially. Once the discussion has come to a natural end, the
facilitator introduces the next scene, and the process is
repeated.
     The facilitator ends the program by answering any general
questions audience members may have. e5m performers and group
members tend to be as capable in this regard as the facilitators,
and so the facilitator will often give the floor ot other group
members offering perspectives on such issues as judicial broard
proceedings, filing a report, seeking counseling, or helping a
friend to recover from a sexual assault.
     The facilitator closes the program by thanking the audience
for their participation and reminding the audience of our
collective responsibility to do whatever we can do to put an end
to sexual violence. Many e5m performances have led resident
advisors and other group leaders to initiate such group follow-ups
as floor meetings; open forums; poster campaigns; editorials,
letters to the editor, and political cartoons in the student
newspaper; public service announcements on student-run radio
stations' and participation in Rape Awareness Week planning
committees.
     As the vast majority of audience members leave the
performance space, e5m members make themselves available to anyone
who wants to talk. These post-show discussions are usually
initiated by audience members who are seekign advice or
informtaion for themselves or for friends. We make it our
responsibility to listen and to offer objective information and
personal perspectives, and to make referrals. But we never presume
to counsel.
     After an e5m performance, we have found it invaluable to make
time to de-brief. De-friefing make take place, if time and space
allow, in any private area found in the bguilding in which we have
just performed. University residence halls tend to be the only
buidlings that allow us the neede dprivacy. So, over time, Zopie's
Caffeine Fix-- our favorite coffee house and performance venue--
has become our perferred place to de-brief, to evaluate our work,
to discuss any unresolved issues, to work through any difficult
emotions provoked by the expierience, and to simply enjoy each
other's company.