Theatre for Living: Guest instructors, Francis Taman and Tanya Pacholok

Join us for a one-day introduction to Theatre for Living, an interactive approach to theatre that invites communities to explore real-life social issues through creativity, dialogue, and play. Drawing on the work of David Diamond and rooted in Augusto Boal’s Theatre of the Oppressed, this workshop will guide participants through engaging warm-ups, theatre games, improv exercises, and image theatre. Together, we’ll practice transforming personal and collective experiences into powerful images and stories that spark reflection and change.

No theatre experience is required. Just bring your curiosity and a willingness to explore. Everyone is welcome.

 

 

About the Instructors:

 

Francis Taman (he/him)

A graduate of Mount Royal University and the Kinkonauts’ Conservatory Programs, Francis’ improv journey began as a teacher in rural Alberta with a copy of Keith Johnstone’s Impro and a burning desire to do improv. In the intervening years, Francis has lectured and taught legal, improv and communication skills in Canada, the United States and Australia. He is currently completing his Masters of Education in Adult Education where his thesis is focused on the use of improv to reduce public speaking anxiety. His passion is exploring how improv and theatre can be used to change us personally and societally by removing the barriers that separate us.

 

Tanya Pacholok (she/her)

Tanya is a multidisciplinary theatre artist and community worker with a Master of Arts in Community Engagement from the University of Alberta. She currently works at the Biosphere Institute of the Bow Valley as the Community Engagement Lead with a focus on empowering community members to explore climate action and climate justice through creative mediums. Tanya also holds a Bachelor of Science in Honors Psychology and a Theatre Arts Diploma, and has performed in various theatre projects in Edmonton, Banff, Vancouver and Toronto. Tanya is particularly passionate about intersection of climate justice, slowness, gender/sexuality inclusion and socially engaged art in order to explore how we can organize systems and relate differently.