Introduction to Forum Theater

The Forum Theater process is based on an applied theater dramatic system developed by Augusto Boal of Brazil. This system is premised on the development of "transformational leadership" skills among participants & ties directly into environmental justice processes designed to foster collaborative Participatory Research relationships among communities, scientists & health care providers.

The outcomes of the Forum may be viewed as assessments of community perceptions & passions - the Local Knowledge of community history, social/political dynamics & unmet needs that are often distorted, misinterpreted or hiddenfrom well-meaning project partners situated outside communities of interest.

The performances are created within the framework of an intensive workshop & composed of a multi-generational group self-selected from the community. The workshop process is designed to provide a performance-based, theatricalstructure for dialogue on significant environmental health issues such as risk assessment, exposure levels, specific health effects related to specific toxic substances, and to create imaginative "blueprints" for possible healthy futures based on appropriate environmental remediations,health care interventions and life-style choices.

The performances each contain an "open door" scene that invites the community audience to interact directly with the community actors by joining the scenes individually & acting out their own proposed solutions to the health hazard issues represented - but not solved - in the scene. These proposals are discussed in turn by the community & the resulting dialogue increases the knowledge base & overall environmental health awareness, as well as informing the goals & effective methodologies of future collaborative projects.