Conference Calendar
All times displayed in Eastern Time
UTC -5 through March 12, then UTC -4 starting March 13 because of Daylight Savings Time
On this page you will find all of the events you can join over the course of the Conference! We recommend that you take time ahead of the Conference to select your sessions, RSVP, and add them to your own personal calendar.
Once you have RSVP’d for events,
you can view a list of all of your RSVPs on this page.
Calendar of Events
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PRE-CONFERENCE White Affinity Group: Racial Harm – An exploration of how to avoid doing it, how to disrupt it, how to take responsibility for it when called on it.
PRE-CONFERENCE White Affinity Group: Racial Harm – An exploration of how to avoid doing it, how to disrupt it, how to take responsibility for it when called on it.
This workshop for White (European descent) identified PNA Conference participants will feature Playback Theatre, Theatre of the Oppressed, as well as some didactic/informational training. Participants will engage in self-reflection and […]
PRE-CONFERENCE Moving Mindfulness for BIPOC Folx: Breath, Motion & Embodied Listening
PRE-CONFERENCE Moving Mindfulness for BIPOC Folx: Breath, Motion & Embodied Listening
ZOOM LINK: https://uuma.zoom.us/j/93884963937?pwd=WG9kWjRNa0ZWWnRZM0lSbjNzUGRSUT09 *This workshop is a BIPOC-centered version of the one presented during the PNA Conference*This is a guided movement improvisation workshop incorporating mindful movement in a way that […]
2 events,
PRE-CONFERENCE White Affinity Group: Racial Harm – An exploration of how to avoid doing it, how to disrupt it, how to take responsibility for it when called on it.
PRE-CONFERENCE White Affinity Group: Racial Harm – An exploration of how to avoid doing it, how to disrupt it, how to take responsibility for it when called on it.
This workshop for White (European descent) identified PNA Conference participants will feature Playback Theatre, Theatre of the Oppressed, as well as some didactic/informational training. Participants will engage in self-reflection and […]
Opening Gathering
Opening Gathering
In this welcome session, we will celebrate, connect, and get acclimated to the Conference setup. Help us kick off Playback in Community: Reaching Toward the Futures We Want with some energy!
4 events,
Voice and Singing in Playback: What About Joy?
Voice and Singing in Playback: What About Joy?
Does the idea of singing as a Playback actor or musician fill you with curiosity and excitement, or anxiety and dread? When you hear compelling vocal offers from the music […]
Moving Mindfulness: Breath, Motion & Embodied Listening with Wayne Smith
Moving Mindfulness: Breath, Motion & Embodied Listening with Wayne Smith
This is a guided movement improvisation workshop incorporating mindful movement in a way that fosters mindfulness & embodied listening (to self & to partners), sharing personal truths, and kinesthetic responsiveness. […]
White Identites Affinity Space
White Identites Affinity Space
A space for people who share white identities to support each other in doing our work to develop our understanding of racism, liberate our hearts, and focus on steps we […]
BIPOC Open Space
BIPOC Open Space
A place for Black, Indigenous, People of Color to be together, share authentically, and have a safe place to bring our full selves to explore our inner and outer lives […]
3 events,
TransFORMation: A Canadian Playbacker Affinity Space
TransFORMation: A Canadian Playbacker Affinity Space
TransFORM your PB shows! Given the current divisive environment in Canada, how can we use PB to bring us together regardless of differences in our beliefs, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, etc. […]
Improving Troupe Artistry: using constructive feedback and Zoom recordings
Improving Troupe Artistry: using constructive feedback and Zoom recordings
Is your Playback troupe rehearsing or performing online? If yes, you now have an unprecedented opportunity to grow as performers: with no extra effort, you can record your rehearsals and […]
Multiracial Playback Affinity Space
Multiracial Playback Affinity Space
Welcoming all multiracial people who self identify and/or are identified as ‘other’ in society in relationship to race and ethnicity. This welcoming creative space is specifically for multiracial people who […]
4 events,
The Disabled Experience in Playback Theatre Affinity Group
The Disabled Experience in Playback Theatre Affinity Group
Join us in this affinity group for an action-based conversation about disability/neurodiversity as practitioners in the Playback Theatre world. What is it like? How do we manage? Jennie Kristel, MA, […]
Partnerships: Building Ongoing Community Partners and Conducting Stronger Community Shows
Partnerships: Building Ongoing Community Partners and Conducting Stronger Community Shows
Practical session for troupe leaders and conductors. We'll address goals, common challenges, opportunities, raising funds, and addressing sensitive community issues in shows. Christopher Ellinger founded True Story Theater in 2001. […]
The Playback Monologue
The Playback Monologue
In many Playback forms, including 3 Part Story, Perspectives, Monologues and Dialogues and others, monologues play a key role. Many forms are built around monologues while others including Open Story […]
Building Troupe Leadership: Support & Sustainability
Building Troupe Leadership: Support & Sustainability
In this session, the directors of the Chicago Playback Theatre Ensemble (Darrick Jackson, Allison Sokolowski, and Clarissa Worcester) will come together with former leaders of the Asheville Playback theatre troupe […]
3 events,
CANCELLED: Unfolding Ancestral Stories
CANCELLED: Unfolding Ancestral Stories
THIS SESSION HAS BEEN CANCELLED - apologies for any inconvenience and/or disappointment. In this experiential workshop, participants will be invited to explore how to use playback theatre to unfold, uproot […]
Understanding JABSS in Playback and in Life.
Understanding JABSS in Playback and in Life.
How do JABSS - Judgments, Assumptions, Beliefs, Spells and Secrets – affect troupe culture and cohesion, and contribute to interpersonal conflicts and misunderstandings? JABSS are mental tools that are constantly […]
For those of us not in a troupe…
For those of us not in a troupe…
In this session we will share the feelings, insights, and experiences that arise for those of us not currently in a Playback Theater troupe . How do we engage in […]
3 events,
One-on-One “Coffee Hour”
One-on-One “Coffee Hour”
The best part of many conferences is getting to know people, hanging out one-on-one with a potential new friend. We'll do our best to replicate it with a series of […]
Stories of Rising Strength in Solidarity with the People of Ukraine – A Show with the Thunders & the Heartsparkle Players
Stories of Rising Strength in Solidarity with the People of Ukraine – A Show with the Thunders & the Heartsparkle Players
It takes strength to be yourself and to build community. It takes strength to right wrongs and claim your voice. It takes strength to not know and ask for help. […]
People to Remember: A People’s Playback Show
People to Remember: A People’s Playback Show
Participants are invited to join us in celebrating the incredible people they have encountered throughout the journey of life. To bring tales of every day heroes and folks who inspire, […]
3 events,
Getting and Giving Support: Past, Present and Future – a Living Mirror Playback Theater Show
Getting and Giving Support: Past, Present and Future – a Living Mirror Playback Theater Show
The chaos and uncertainty of the past couple years have forced us to meet unanticipated challenges and reach for help from unexpected places. Living Mirror Playback Theater invites you to […]
Reaching Across Ideological Differences: Why Try and What You Might Gain – a True Story Theater Show
Reaching Across Ideological Differences: Why Try and What You Might Gain – a True Story Theater Show
Have you ever tried to talk with someone you care about whose views are clearly different from yours--say, about Covid vaccinations, or whom to vote for, or abortion, or which […]
Trauma and Resilience – A World Playback Theater Show in Solidarity with Ukraine
Trauma and Resilience – A World Playback Theater Show in Solidarity with Ukraine
World Playback Theater invites you to share stories of trauma and resilience. In difficult moments, there is light. We need to remind ourselves to connect with this light. The world […]
3 events,
Missing Peaces… Personal Stories About Peace, Conflict and Reconciliation – a Perspektives Show
Missing Peaces… Personal Stories About Peace, Conflict and Reconciliation – a Perspektives Show
Perspektives invites you to share (and listen to) stories about those smaller and bigger conflicts we all experience. Those battles within ourselves, disputes with others, struggles with different situations, conflicts […]
Connections Between All Beings – A Thursday Zoomers Show
Connections Between All Beings – A Thursday Zoomers Show
Our lives are defined by interconnection. None of us can make it on our own. Cultivating and deepening connections creates a richer life. Come share stories of how connections with […]
Breaking Out of the Box: Creating Change in Ourselves and Our Communities – a Bay Area Playback Theater Show
Breaking Out of the Box: Creating Change in Ourselves and Our Communities – a Bay Area Playback Theater Show
There are so many systemic issues that have been highlighted by Covid, including inequities of race & class, climate change, environmental degradation, partisanship, etc. ... At the same time, people […]
5 events,
The International Playback Theatre Network Shares Africa Connect: Connecting Playback in Africa
The International Playback Theatre Network Shares Africa Connect: Connecting Playback in Africa
The AFRICA CONNECT Group is a small, but growing, online Africa Playback group of practitioners with lived experience of Africa. We use playback as a tool for sharing our stories […]
Creating Verbal Engagement Among Actors Online
Creating Verbal Engagement Among Actors Online
How to create online interactive scenes with two or more actors? How to invite another actor to your scene? How to invite all actors to your offer? How to play […]
Performance of Trauma in Playback Theater (2 parts)
Performance of Trauma in Playback Theater (2 parts)
Session 1 out of 2 workshops -- must plan to attend both! March 14 & March 15 at 6pm ET. In this workshop participants will receive tools to craft a […]
BIPOC Open Space
BIPOC Open Space
A place for Black, Indigenous, People of Color to be together, share authentically, and have a safe place to bring our full selves to explore our inner and outer lives […]
White Identites Affinity Space
White Identites Affinity Space
A space for people who share white identities to support each other in doing our work to develop our understanding of racism, liberate our hearts, and focus on steps we […]
3 events,
Secrets of a Long Life: an Elder Affinity Space
Secrets of a Long Life: an Elder Affinity Space
This will be a space for elder Playback Practitioners to gather, practice and celebrate together. In a time when youth is culturally fetishized and physical aging tends to be regarded […]
Performance of Trauma in Playback Theater (2 parts)
Performance of Trauma in Playback Theater (2 parts)
Session 2 out of 2 workshops -- must plan to attend both! March 14 & 15 at 6:00pm ET. Click here to RSVP for both workshops. In this workshop participants […]
Envision the Future and Expose the Present: Bring Social Forces Into Your Playback (With a Focus on Patriarchy)
Envision the Future and Expose the Present: Bring Social Forces Into Your Playback (With a Focus on Patriarchy)
Use Playback for social impact by discerning in tellers’ stories the (generally unnamed) cultural, institutional and systemic messages arising out of the patriarchal culture that permeates our lives. We can […]
3 events,
New Troupes & New Playbackers
New Troupes & New Playbackers
Are you a new Playbacker or have you recently started a new Playback Troupe? We will be exploring topics such as: How to give constructive feedback, starting a new Playback […]
Hosting a Playback Workshop
Hosting a Playback Workshop
Hosting a Playback workshop can be an important part of your practice for many reasons: to share the tool of playback in community settings, for generating interest in your troupe's […]
Under the Splashless Moon: Metaphors for What’s Emerging in Your Life: A Creative Writing & Playback Workshop
Under the Splashless Moon: Metaphors for What’s Emerging in Your Life: A Creative Writing & Playback Workshop
A playback enactment is ephemeral––we witness the gorgeous, fleeting moment, and then it’s gone. A beautiful poem or piece of prose is also a gorgeous enactment, and yet, writing extends […]
3 events,
Embodiment on Stage: Vozdukh Center Approach
Embodiment on Stage: Vozdukh Center Approach
Vozdukh Center (VC) was one of the team in the world who experiment with embodiment in playback theatre and created their own approach to play on stage. I would like […]
Adapting Playback in Work With Vulnerable Communities
Adapting Playback in Work With Vulnerable Communities
Our work with vulnerable communities has been primarily with adults with developmental challenges. In past years, we have also worked with children in a variety of settings, adolescents, recently released […]
Queering Playback: an LGBTQQIP2SAA+ Affinity Space
Queering Playback: an LGBTQQIP2SAA+ Affinity Space
A space for LGBTQQIP2SAA+ people to gather and connect. The group will collaboratively determine the groups' priorities, but the session will include: Using Playback to honor each others' queer storiesDiscussing […]
3 events,
One-on-One “Coffee Hour”
One-on-One “Coffee Hour”
The best part of many conferences is getting to know people, hanging out one-on-one with a potential new friend. We'll do our best to replicate it with a series of […]
Unpacking Treasure: PNA’s Books
Unpacking Treasure: PNA’s Books
The best part of many conferences is getting to know people, hanging out one-on-one with a potential As a PNA member, you can download free copies of PNA's four publications. Have you […]
Closing Gathering
Closing Gathering
In this closing session, we will celebrate, connect, and harvest insights from our time at the conference. We would love you to join us as we integrate this Playback in […]
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Frequently Asked Questions
For visual help, watch this step-by-step video demonstration.
Conference Pass or Festival Pass
- Go to the registration page: https://playbacknorthamerica.com/conference-pass-festival-pass-registration/
- Create a Conference account
- Select either a Conference Pass or a Festival Pass. Type the price you would like to pay within the price box.
- What’s the difference between the passes?
- A Conference Pass includes Conference Sessions and all 8 Shows. It is for PNA members only. Become a member here.
- A Festival Pass includes 8 Shows — no Conference Sessions. PNA Membership not required.
- What’s the difference between the passes?
- Complete your payment.
- Go to the Conference Calendar to RSVP for specific events.
- This is how you will get the zoom links to attend each Sessions and Shows.
For visual help, watch this step-by-step video demonstration.
Once you have registered for the conference, you will be able to RSVP for events. To do this, you will go to individual events pages (found on this calendar: https://playbacknorthamerica.com/conference-pass-calendar/) and click RSVP.
After you RSVP, you will receive an email with the zoom link. The zoom link will also appear on the event page itself after you RSVP.
You can see a list of all of the events you RSVP’d for on this page: https://playbacknorthamerica.com/account/
We wholeheartedly welcome you to pay what you can afford!
Simply email clarissa@playbacknorthamerica.com and tell them what amount you would like to pay (even $0!). You do not need to give a reason, we will grant you the discount no questions asked.
You will then receive a discount code that will allow you to register at that rate.
There are so many forms of accessibility to consider — this conference has only been able to proactively accommodate a few. Here, we will name these as well as the gaps in accessibility.
What we will have:
- All sessions will be hosted virtually on zoom.
- All sessions will have the live auto-transcription enabled.
- The website was built with the intention to have strong enough color contrast (though it could be improved)
- Sessions are priced on a sliding scale.
What we will not have:
- We will not have live ASL interpretation.
- We have not trained facilitators to use simple language, or to ensure that their materials are shared ahead of time and accessibly made.
- The conference will be conducted in English. There will not be built-in translation to other languages.
If you have questions about any accessibility concerns, you can reach out to clarissa@playbacknorthamerica.com.
It is our intention to further develop our accountability to accessibility. In the mean time, we acknowledge our limitations and regret the impact these missed opportunities may have.
The most likely reason that you cannot see your emails is because they were sorted into your spam folder or your promotions folder.
If you cannot find them, you can contact clarissa@playbacknorthamerica.com for help.
You can easily view the list of events that you have RSVP’d on your account page: https://playbacknorthamerica.com/account/
After you RSVP
- the zoom link will appear on the event page (after you refresh)
- you will also be emailed a confirmation with the zoom link
If you have any issues, contact clarissa@playbacknorthamerica.com or allison@playbacknorthamerica.com
Many of our community are striving to be in solidarity with the people of Ukraine, and specifically the Ukrainian Playback Community. To this end, we uplift the efforts of the PT Responds: Peace Please Solidarity Playback Festival. One show in our festival is also a part of this solidarity festival — you can find it here. The amount raised will be donated to the Playback school in Ukraine.
The following is language taken from the Playback Theatre Around the World Group on Facebook.
“Playback Theatre Festival of Solidarity
Video: How to Register
A Step-by-Step Demonstration
of How to Buy a Conference Pass & RSVP for Sessions
This video will show you every step to registering for the Conference and then RSVP-ing for events. You can skip to 2:25 to view the RSVP section.
To purchase a Conference Pass or Festival Pass, visit this page.
If you have already purchased a Conference Pass or Festival Pass, skip to 2:06 in the video to watch how to RSVP for specific events.