Dramaturgy

COMMUNITY PARTNER SPOTLIGHT We are proud to count among our community partners SOAR — Sisters Overcoming Abusive Relationships. This grassroots task force of the Rhode Island Coalition Against Domestic Violence was established in 1989 and is made up of more SOAR than 100 domestic violence survivors who are dedicated to using their voices and experiences to end domestic violence. They address the root causes of domestic violence and the systemic and societal issues that affect victims of domestic violence and their children. Their work includes legislative advocacy, raising public awareness, and working with individual members to develop their leadership skills. Trinity Rep first started working with SOAR in 2012 when they approached us about creating a play written and performed by their members. Trinity Rep education staff led 16 survivors using prompts and theater activities to write a play. Following a process of script development and rehearsal, their play was performed in the Dowling Theater. The following year, Director of Education Jordan Butterfield restaged the play with many of the original writers/survivors, plus a few new members. The play was also adapted into a four-person version that traveled to schools and colleges. Trinity Rep and SOAR continued to remount the play each October for Domestic Violence Christmas Carol which featured a different community group onstage as part Awareness month through 2016. The stories shared in the play and the process of each performance. SOAR members and their children made up one of the of developing and staging it inspired the latest phase of our partnership. We largest groups of community performers that year! are starting the process to create a multi-media tool, sharing the stories of We applaud SOAR’s tremendous effort and results, and look forward survivors’ experiences to educate audiences. to working with their members to continue telling these important stories so SOAR members also provided important perspective and consultation that there are fewer stories to tell in the future. on A Lie of the Mind (2014) and Like Sheep to Water, or Fuente Ovejuna (2017), More information about SOAR can be found at www.soarinri.org. two productions that included elements of domestic violence, violence against women, and rape. PICTURED ABOVE: A 2012-13 Season performance by SOAR at the University of The women of SOAR also brought great joy to our 2017 production of A Rhode Island