We are practicians for art daily routine
We create and tell theatrical stories relevant to a particular audience and model them together with the audience.
Our audience
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people working in public and private sectors.
Making decisions and implementing them.
Young people aged 15+.
Educators. Social workers. Parents.
Convicts and those who work in custodial institutions.
Non-governmental organizations.
Investigators interested in Arts-Based Research (ABR) and Citizen Science.
Our superpower
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is to create an environment, conditions and content for learning through edutainment. We help communicate initiatives and discover opportunities.
About the method
Forum Theater is a well-known in the world, and still a new way in Lithuania to understand and discuss topics important to the audience. The spectator in this theater is an active participant, not a passive observer.
A scenario is always based on the actualities of a particular collective or audience. It is always talked about values: human relationships, importance of being together, the need to make decisions and take responsibility for possible consequences.
The action on the stage is stopped several times, so that the actors would communicate directly with the audience and receive suggestions for the development of the script. In this way, spectators become developers of drama. The uniqueness of this method is the guaranteed “good time” and analysis of the situation; a lot of laughter and a learning process; therapy and self-criticism. It is an opportunity to improve the quality of your daily life, when small personal changes lead to greater social and professional discoveries.
Our tool – applied theater techniques.
Our creative activity is based on the ideas and methodology of Augusto Boal, Viola Spolin, Keith Johnstone. They are our inspiration to share the incredible power of applied theater techniques for the common good of society.
Podcast |
What you do, do well
Subject "Art doesn’t bother you"
Testimonial
The performance of the Forum Theater Troupe is a great theater therapy and an opportunity to look at yourself from the side. In the community of educators, it provoked a very emotional reaction, giving the impression that someone from the side understands the teachers, knows the confusing situations they get into. And the reflection of those problems on stage no longer looks so scary, rather comical. Thank you to the theater for their professionalism, good emotions and the given opportunity to look at life from a less sharp angle.
- Regina Svagzdiene, Lithuanian language and theater teacher of Velzys Gymnasium -
We had a joint project with the Forum Theater – training for law enforcement officers (prosecutors, judges, police officers) on hate crimes. One of the aims of the training was to help to develop awareness of biased, negative attitudes in respect of race, nationality, sexual orientation, disability, and etc. and encourage to change them.
I’m a psychologist, I’ve been working with people for over 20 years, so I know, how hard it is to change attitudes and, in general, to teach (rather than “to train up”) new things.
The Forum Theater creates an environment that promotes awareness and change – “touches”, engages, provokes and encourages discussion. This evokes strong emotions (not necessarily pleasant...) and shakes up outdated attitudes.
What else... Of course, the Forum Theater team is deep, sensitive and warm people. They really care about what they do! And they can be trusted. ”
- Edita Dereskeviciute, Training Manager of Human Study Center -
In our small prison, the theater brought a lot of movement, joy. The guys were waiting for the meeting and still ask, when Mantas and Valentinas will come – after all, they promised. The guys got involved in the meetings, did the tasks, and then talked about their impressions for a long time. But theater is entirely unfamiliar area to them. The mere fact that children in our institution sincerely do something and laugh when happy – it is so beautiful!!! The Forum Theater has managed to create these moments.
- Fausta Palaimaite, Specialist of the Resocialization Section of the Kaunas Juvenile Interrogation Isolator – Correctional Facility -
Augusto Boal spoke of his interactive theatrical methodology: “This is not a revolution. This is a rehearsal for the revolution.” Telling its own theatrical stories, the Forum Theater 4 ROOMS creates a human rights practicum-interaction for the audience every time. A discussion that opens up other people’s perspectives. It is a valuable and influential education.
- Judita Akromiene, Head of the National Education NGO Network, Head of the NGO “Europe House” -
A theater without a fourth wall, an inclusive theater that makes you believe in the reality of the situation, helps you open up and open. A theatrical process, in which a play has not yet been written, born here and now, and the turns of the story sometimes turn there, where you might not have expected and in this event you never know, what truth you will open up and how deal with it. This theatrical method, which helps to understand the problems of society more clearly, requires maximum concentration, intelligence, a sudden reaction from the actors, and from the audience – belief in the certainty of the problem and a sincere desire to solve it. Fun, playful, and suddenly – unexpected, deep, sometimes stingingly painful ...
- Alma Montvilaite-Vosyliene, Director of Marijampole Drama Theater Youth Studio -
Theatrical methods are a wonderful way of exploring important topics. Why? Because these methods allow immersing yourself in the topic not only in thinking, but also in feelings, imagination, body, which in turn is much more influential than just a “smart” discussion. In addition, these techniques are interesting, fun and active – the spectator can even become a real participant in the action scene.
Why the 4 ROOMS team? Because when I address them, I know, I will get more than one surprising idea, I will be able to negotiate, think together, and the fulfillment will be professional.
- Kotryna Gotberg, Consulting company PRIMUM ESSE -
The Forum Theater team, in my eyes, is a group of brave, creative, innovative and very cool people, united by meaningful goals to make changes with the help of art. For the first time, the activities of the Forum Theater actors had to be observed in the Kaunas Juvenile Interrogation Isolator – Correctional Facility, when this team implemented the project “Im-perfect”. In a meeting with imprisoned children, they removed all borders between people. Children, who tend to find it difficult to concentrate for a longer period of time, participated very actively and benevolently in a variety of activities, experienced that, what they did not have access to in the environment, in which they had grown up until then. Once again, I was lucky enough to see the trainings of the Forum Theater staff for judges, prosecutors and investigators. Playing the real work situation, and then discussing it, gave the participants the opportunity to take a deeper look at the daily routine of their work, to understand the feelings and experiences of the victims of criminal offenses. Such an innovative form of teaching has a future. The team of the Forum Theater consists of professionals in their field, who have been able to expand the boundaries of the influence of art on a human being.
- Vytautas Lamauskas, Director of the LITHUANIAN PROBATION SERVICE (LTP) -