"Trigger" for Change: Theatre as a Tool for Social Dialogue

Author

Sydoney B. Blackmore, University of Montana - MissoulaFollow

Graduation Year

2015

Graduation Month

May

Document Type

Professional Paper

Degree Name

Bachelor of Fine Arts

School or Department

Theatre

Major

Theatre

Faculty Mentor Department

Theatre

Faculty Mentor

Randy Bolton

Faculty Reader(s)

Randy Bolton, Laure Pengelly Drake

Keywords

sexual assault, rape, theatre, theater, applied theatre, dialogue

Subject Categories

Gender, Race, Sexuality, and Ethnicity in Communication | Interpersonal and Small Group Communication | Other Feminist, Gender, and Sexuality Studies | Other Theatre and Performance Studies | Social Influence and Political Communication | Women's Studies

Abstract

Trigger for Change: Theatre as a Tool for Social Dialogue was a project consisting of three main parts oriented toward promoting dialogue on the University of Montana campus about sexual assault. The first part was a company-constructed multimedia presentation that quickly introduced the audience to facts, figures, and perspectives regarding sexual assault. The second was a performance of Carmen Aguirre's The Trigger, a stage play about the playwright’s experience before, during, and after her rape, with other characters’ perspectives interjected throughout. The purpose of this performance was to provide an experience for the audience that promoted empathy and critical thinking. The performance was a staged reading, complete with minimal set, sound, lights, and costumes. The final part of the project was facilitated small-group discussion following the performances. In addition to those three elements, community and university organizations addressing the issue of sexual assault set up tables at the performances for audience members to peruse resources and service opportunities.

Honors College Research Project

1

Recommended Citation

Blackmore, Sydoney B., ""Trigger" for Change: Theatre as a Tool for Social Dialogue" (2015). Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts. 63.
https://scholarworks.umt.edu/utpp/63