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Having opened this page, we assume that you are
a development organisation working either locally or internationally
which is interested in providing financial, material or educational
support for this theatre for development program.
Here are some possible options for supporting or working with the
theatre teams:
- Support one or more of the teams to create
and perform a play on a
development related theme of your
choice for audiences in your target
areas.
- Increase the impact of the teams’ current
drug prevention or HIV/AIDS
awareness raising campaigns by supporting
more performances of already
tried and tested plays.
- Help the team improve its work and its chances
of sustainability with
material or financial resources e.g.
providing traditional costumes
for the Yao or Lahu teams, some office
equipment, or a circus tent to
create a lively and quiet space in
which to rehearse and perform.
If you are interested in one of these options, please contact
us with your proposals, ideas or questions. |
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There are six villagers, three women and three men,
in each of the five teams. Two of these are team leaders who are responsible
for coordinating activities on a local level and who guarantee the
smooth operation of activities. Four of the teams operate in Bokeo
province, where there are many different ethnic minorities living
close together, the Akha team perform in Luang Namtha province, where
a high percentage of the population is Akha. |
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The Lao Youth Union (LYU) monitors the work of the
teams. The LYU is the Lao government organisation responsible for
leisure and education activities for youth. When researching different
topics, the teams consult the relevant government department (e.g.
the District and/or Provincial Drug Control Office, when the issue
is Drug Prevention) for information when making a play. |
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The teams were set up with financial and technical
support from the GTZ. The GTZ runs the Rural Development in Mountainous
Areas of Northern Laos Program (RDMA).
The Bokeo component of this program is now run by IP, Institut fuer
Projektplanung GmbH, who has a staff member providing technical assistance
and administrative support to the theatre teams. The DED has one advisor
posted in Bokeo province who is responsible for capacity building
in theatre and organisational skills. |
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The development aim is to enable such local groups
to gain become self sufficient and this also involves helping them
to become better known and to gain the necessary support to carry
out their work. They are currently receiving training in fund raising
and quality control from the DED advisor and it is expected that they
will soon carry out these functions themselves. |
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The impact can be measured by members of the village
teams who use questionnaires to determine level of knowledge and current
attitudes on the topic before and after their presentations among
a cross section of the target audience. After 3 months, the same people
are questioned again to determine whether their behaviour has changed
and whether the presentations or what other factors influenced any
change in their behaviour. |
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The performers are given a small daily fee to compensate them and
their families for the lost labour in the fields or small business.
In a rehearsal day, performers have no time to gather food, food is
purchased from the local market and cooked for them by 2 villagers.
Defines the stage area and is easy to transport. Props are every day
tools and materials. Audience seating in villages is a problem, a
plastic sheet (10x10m) is currently used, as to define the performing
area. Ideally seating would be provided but this is currently not
available and difficult to transport.
A generator (1000w), surge protector, 2 radio mikes with receiver,
a small speaker-amplifier, lights, bamboo cane and string to create
lighting rig, musicians or a tape/CD player. The teams already own
this equipment, but need to maintain it, as there is a lot of wear
and tear in transport.
A mini bus with a roof rack and some inside luggage space is ideal.
The teams don’t yet own one, so they have to hire transport
for each performance or use a car provided by the supporting project
Traditional costumes of the lao hill tribes are works of art. Making
them takes a long time, but the visual feast for the eye keeps the
audience’s attention.
At present the team is rehearsing at the market place under the full
view of the village. The atmosphere is chaotic and noisy with children
jumping over the set while the team is creating a scene. Having their
own rehearsal space such as a tent would improve the concentration
of rehearsals and the quality of plays. Having a circus like tent
would not only provide the team with some privacy and a place to make
themselves up before the performance but heighten the drama of the
event for the actors and the audience. It would also enable the teams
to charge a small entry fee for some performances, where appropriate,
which would help the teams to cover their costs. |
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Making community theatre does require financial input,
but the results are well worth the investment. Any financial or other
support is most welcome, as the performers are farmers with a very
low income. |
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