
About
Village Playback Theatre
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We are an improvisation based company using the performing arts to create individual and societal change.
Each audience member’s recollection of a moment or experience from their own lives serves as a catalyst for a compelling dramatic performance. We seek to invite personal storytelling to build community throughout metro New York and strive to elicit and enact the stories of individuals and groups who are often underserved and socially underrepresented throughout metro New York.
The Impact
The work of Village Playback Theatre:
Increases empathy for others and increases a sense of belonging.
Changes hearts and minds by showing the human being behind the story.
Provides storytellers with new perspectives about their own experiences.
Gives those the chance to tell their stories or raise their voices in a safe, non-judgmental environment.

The Company

Executive Artistic Director Randy is co-founder of VPT, and co-director of the NY School of Playback Theatre. He teaches drama therapy and Playback Theatre locally and internationally. As an actor/singer, Randy has toured across the United States. He has extensive experience working as a liturgical musician throughout NYC. Randy is passionate about using the arts, wellness, ritual, and personal storytelling to empower individuals, businesses and communities.

Performer Born in Odessa, Ukraine, Alex started composing music at age 16. He was involved in the Russian Bard music genre and toured throughout the former USSR. In 1992, Alex immigrated to the U.S. and later graduated from The New School university majoring in Jazz composition and arranging. As an accomplished guitarist and keyboardist, he has performed as a soloist and in groups across America and internationally. Alex scores music to Russian poetry, and recently released 2 CD’s.

Assistant Artistic Director/Performer Originally from Mexico, Fed came to New York in 2013 to study acting in the MFA program at NYFA. While a student, he joined VPT as an actor, and in 2021, was named Assistant Artistic Director. He collaborates with “Something From Abroad” (a theatre company founded by Hispanic immigrant women) . Recently, he co-founded “Quemoción,” a multimedia production company that focuses on shedding light to underrepresented stories/figures within the Latinx community.

Performer Before retirement, Tasha was a school social worker in the South Bronx using expressive arts therapies (play, art, drama, music) with children and adults. Now, she continues to facilitate writing, drama, and art groups as well as discussion groups influenced by Non-Violent Communication. Tasha is the author and illustrator of two children’s books. She has taught Playback Theatre in several countries, and lives, at the moment, in Brooklyn, Boston, and Mexico.

Performer Hisa Viscovich, born and raised in Kyoto, Japan, is a multilingual performer dedicated to fostering empathy and human connection. After backpacking across 50 plus countries, she deepened her artistic journey living in Argentina and Brazil, studying dance, and performing Brazilian Zouk Lambada worldwide. Based in NYC, Hisa has trained at HB Studio and performs in Off-Off-Broadway productions. She brings a global perspective, heartfelt storytelling, and cross-cultural sensitivity


Performer Luis is a Venezuelan guitarist, composer, sound designer, and marathonist. He has performed with his band, New Caracas, at iconic venues such as (Le) Poisson Rouge and Rockwood Music Hall. In 2018, he won the New York Innovative Theatre Award for Outstanding Music for his work on the play Eight Tales of Pedro. A proud VPT member and sound designer at Heavyocity, he is now exploring his voice as a singer‑songwriter, drawing on the many musical styles that have shaped him.

Performer Paulina de la Parra is a Mexican actress and singer based in NYC. Her credits include 8 Tales of Pedro (Queens Theatre), Cordelia in King Lear (Island Shakespeare Festival), and a national McDonald's commercial (The Spicy Menu), among others. She considers her work with VPT one of her greatest achievements, as it allows her to explore human stories from the inside out. Committed to amplifying underrepresented voices, she strives to create space for diverse narratives through her craft.


Performer Luis Wigdorsky is a Chilean actor. He moved to New York City in 2012 and fell in love with “the city that never sleeps.” Luis loves to read, especially short stories and novels—perhaps that's what led him to acting, to become a storyteller. He has been training at HB Studio since 2014.

Performer Melody is a native New Yorker and a graduate of K. Gibbs Business College in NYC. She began her professional journey with a renowned cosmetics companies before stepping away to raise her four children as a single parent. She joined VPT in 2023 as a citizen actor. In addition to her artistic work, Melody serves on the Board of Directors for Settlement Health Clinics. She is also actively involved in a clinical anti-racism initiative, as a dedicated community advocate.