They are some of the most innovative and inspiring artists working in theater and dare to go places few established groups will, as this story about a Memphis Improv described by The Commercial Appeal.
An excerpt.
“A few minutes before a special performance to help a local nonprofit celebrate its 15th anniversary, a group of actors stood offstage wondering if they were in too deep.
“The actors were with Playback Memphis, an improvisational theater troupe that turns personal stories from audience members into live theater.
“Their audience, Victims to Victory, was a support group for families who have lost loved ones to homicide.
“Tough stories.
"We often go to deep places in playback," said actor and real-life therapist Bill Baker as the cast prepared to face the crowd. "But I suspect this is going to be a hard one."
“The troupe reenacts the experiences of others in what they call a playback, blending literal details of the story with theatrical flourishes that include music and dance.
“When it was time to go on, the actors joined hands in a circle. Virginia Murphy, the troupe's leader, offered more of a prayer than a motivational speech. "Let's invite something larger than ourselves into this performance," she said. "Give us what we need to be of service. ..."
“In theater, tragedies run two acts plus intermission. In life, they run for years.”
About
- David H. Lukenbill
- I am a California native, married, we have one daughter and live close to the American River with two cats and all the wild critters we can feed. I am a management consultant to nonprofit organizations and have an Associates of Arts degree in Administration of Justice from Sacramento City College, a Bachelor of Science degree in Organizational Behavior from the University of San Francisco and a Master of Public Administration degree, also from the University of San Francisco.