‘Social healing’ theater group Playback Memphis enhances mission with new identity
- Playback Memphis, a nonprofit theater group, is rebranding itself as everystory.
- The organization uses improvised enactments of audience stories to promote community well-being.
- The group’s first performance under its new name will be on Oct. 11.
Since 2008, Playback Memphis has practiced what it describes on its website as “a unique art form”: a type of theater that is intended to promote “community well-being” and “social healing” through on-the-spot improvised enactments of real-life stories shared by members of the audience.
In addition to its public performances, the nonprofit organization hosts programs at community centers, middle schools and other locations. These workshops are intended to help people apply the Playback methodology — a sort of theatrical therapy that promotes empathy and collaboration — to the challenges of their daily lives and their community responsibilities.
“We’re trying to provide a resource for those on the front lines who are working with community violence, and whose daily experience is saturated with complex trauma,” said Playback Memphis founder Virginia Reed Murphy.
“When the world feels like it’s spinning into never-ending chaos and crisis,” she said, “we know that these tools and this practice and this art form is a powerful way to ground ourselves, even when things feel groundless.”
The first Playback Theatre began operating just outside New York in 1975. Now, there are close to 200 Playback troupes worldwide, but they remain a loose affiliation of like-minded organizations, rather than an official network. To that end, Playback Memphis is changing its name and rebranding — to use a now overused term — as everystory, a name that Murphy said better describes the group’s embrace of audience collaboration and its emphasis on community in general and youth in particular.
Also, the new name avoids confusion with other uses of the word “playback” (a term applied more commonly to audio rewind or to lip-syncing soundtrack performers).
everystory (yes, the initial letter is intentionally lowercase) will present its first public performance with its new name at 7 p.m. Oct. 11 at the First Congregational Church theater at 1000 Cooper. Part of the “Memphis Matters” series, the show promises “spontaneous stories that spark instant impact,” according to everystory. Advance tickets can be purchased at eventbrite.com.
“Memphis Matters” performances generally last about 90 minutes. During the show, “audience members are invited to share personal reflections, moments, or true Memphis stories inspired by a specific theme,” according to everystory. From this, the everystory ensemble — typically, about five actors — “brings that story to life on stage, performing it back through the art of Playback Theatre. By reflecting the story through words, movement and music, its depth and meaning unfold in new ways — affirming that every voice mattes and every story deserves to be heard.”
This technique also is applied to everystory’s “Be the Peace” programs, for kids and teens as well as for adults. These “skill-building sessions” are intended to help participants prevent bullying and learn to resolve conflicts peacefully.
Or, to quote parts of the everystory mission statement, to “build trust through compassionate listening and deep dialogue,” to “connect with joy and meaning in our work through laughter and reflection” and to “increase sense of belonging, purpose and community connection.”