About
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 Shlomit is a multi-faceted performing artist, physical actress, belly dancer and clown, a multi-generational Person-Centered Expressive Arts facilitator and counselor, educator, and owner of Gleeful Wellness LLC. Shlomit is half Israeli and half Colombian. She has been a VPT company member since 2019.