A Theater that Begins with a Human. Community Theater as a New Art Form

Abstract

In our new column, “In Simple Words,” we will publish materials that, as the title states, are written in simple words, without trying to be “scientific”. These articles are more like essays, representing their authors’ views and reflecting socially significant topics. “Real people, real stories, real us,” that’s what Elena Kim and Asya Belyaeva, creators of Moscow-based “This Is Us” community theater, say about themselves. Community theater is a new concept in performing arts, but numerous experts have already noticed its therapeutic power. Here, viewers tell their stories and see them immediately come to life on stage, thus becoming co-creators of the performances. This opinion piece by Elena Kim describes how and why community theater works and how it presents a model of the world and our relationships in the world.