2026 US Playback Theatre Gathering
Let's gather for... Grounding Our Connections
Join us at Fairview Lake YMCA Camps in Newton, New Jersey for a weekend of connection, reflection and learning to deepen our work in Playback Theatre amid a troubling and dividing country.
Our work -- whether conductors, actors, musicians, organizers, tellers and witnesses -- needs more grounding than ever.
Are you part of the Playback Theatre movement and seek to support, learn, grow and root in this movement of cultivating community connection?
Playback Collaborative US and sponsoring Playback companies are thrilled to again host this third annual US Playback regional gathering in 2026!
The weekend begins early Friday afternoon, September 25 with 2 PM registration and concludes Sunday afternoon, September 27, packed with performances, workshops, creative jams and facilitated discussion to further our work and play together.
Schedule Confirmed!
Friday (9/25)
12 Noon - Registration Opens
2:00 pm - Welcome to "Grounding Connections"
2:30 pm - Workshops (I) for Beginners and Advanced Players
Being 1 of the 10,000 Things — Chris Fitz
Dreams, Sweet Dreams: An Intro to the 'If This Is My Dream"'Form" - Tatiana Stepanov
The Mysterious Link: Music in Playback Theatre — Tim Van Ness
Playback “Hard” Rituals — Susan Metz & Lorraine Laprade
4:15 pm - Immersive Playback Jam For All
6:00 pm - Dinner
7:30 pm - Playback Performance - Big Apple Playback
9:15 pm - Campfire Singing, Poetry & S’mores
Saturday (9/26)
8:00 am - Breakfast
8:45 am - Morning AOpening
9:30 am - Workshops (#2) for Beginners and Advanced Players
Playback in an Aging Body…SURPRISE! — Deborah Zavos & Deb Scott
Contact Improv for Playbackers — Lauren and Richard Sky
Psychodrama Dance Theater — Bradley Robin & Ed DiMaio
Building and Leading a Sustainable Playback Company — Randy Mulder
11:00 am - Jonathan Fox and Book Launch — Narrative Reticulation
11:45 am - Playback Panel (3 Speakers) "Grounding Our Connections"
Roots (History) — Judy Swallow
Trunk (Ethics & Rituals) — Deb Scott
Branches (Companies & Practitioners) — Ricardo Pérez González
1:00 pm - Lunch and Author Session — Jonathan Fox
2:00 pm - Embodied Discussion - Roots and Branches
2:45 pm - Workshops (2:45 hrs) for Beginners and Advanced Players
Being an Organism — Sarah Urech & Lauren Sky
Exploring the Darkness with Hard, Traumatic Stories — Olga Sanachina
Expanding Your Buffet of Strategies for Long Stories — Rosey Waters
Magic in the Middle: Spiritually Grounded Connections as Social Change — Tim Van Ness
Rituals of Before, During, and After Playback Theatre — Mizuho “Miho” Kanazawa
5:30 pm - Dinner
7:00 pm - Playback Performance: Playback for Change
9:00 pm - Collaborative Art & Dance Party
Sunday (9/27)
8:00 am - Breakfast
9:00 am - Gathering and Performance by Unscripted Playback
10:45 am - Facilitated Exchange: Playback Life, Playback Project, Future Steps — Randy Mulder
12:30 pm - Closing Ceremony. "Grounding our Connection"
1:00 pm - Lunch and Sending
Special thanks to our leadership sponsors grounding this gathering!
Playback for Change (PA)
People's Playback (CA)
Unscripted Playback Theatre (NJ/NY)
Step out and Sponsor to help launch this year's event.
Contribute at least $150 by April 30th and receive a 10% registration discount for 4 members (per $150 contributed, averaging $150 in savings!)!
Have your sponsoring Playback company, organization, foundation or fund listed on our registration website as a sponsoring contributor.
Contribute at least $450 and receive additional email publicity and an event table to promote your work across the Playback community.
Just click the Registration/Sponsorship button and lead the way for others to join us!
What your registration and sponsorship supports:
Playback pracitioners who are more connected, grounded, humbled, empowered, equipped and supported to serve their communities than ever!
Inspiring and edifying opportunities for learning, connecting and having a blast!
An inspiring natural lakeside retreat with plentiful gathering spaces!
Six meals and two nights' lodging throughout the weekend!
Organizational and communication costs!
Special guests attending!
Paying-forward a deposit for future gatherings!
Investment in a priceless, connecting experience with your Playback community!
The 2026 Organizing Team:
Andrea Jacobs
Carmen Tisnado
Chris Fitz
Cintra Harbold
Elaine Molinaro
Kristy Pace
Lauren Sky
Mario Palma
Nancy Li
Olga Sanachina
Tatiana Stepanova
Hosted by Playback Collaborative US, dedicated to creating spaces to develop the Playback Theatre community, practices, artistry and social change impact.
See you at Fairview Lake… Let's Watch!
FAQs
- Do I need prior experience in Playback Theatre?
While this gathering is geared toward Playback practitioners, we will have limited capacity to offer a "beginner's cohort" to support newcomers in getting the most out of the Gathering.
- What kind of discounts are available?
In an attempt to make the gathering as affordable as possible, we offer a sliding scale registration for participants to self-identify their financial capacity. In addition, other discounts are available.
Through May 31, Early Bird discounts are available to everyone, use promo code EarlyPlayer.
Sponsors have a limited number of discounted registrations, see your sponsoring company contact for that code through June 30.
- What is Fairview Lake like?
Fairview Lake YMCA is a large lakeside camp and retreat center in rural northern New Jersey. The US Playback Gathering will happen alongside several other groups using different facilities there, but there will be plenty of beautiful outdoor and indoor spaces exclusively for our Gathering's large groups, small groups, workshops, discussions, jamming, walks around the lake, and more.
- What are the sleeping accomodations? Bring my own linens? (YES Let's!)
Overnight lodging is provided in cabins with attached bathrooms, accomodating up to 10 people sleeping in built-in bunk beds. Choose your preference of bottom bunks or top bunks during registration; if you are able to sleep up top, save and make space for others who can't. Thanks for your flexibility!
Linens are not provided; you will need to bring them (pillow, sheet/blankets/sleeping bag, towel)!
You may also want to bring an additional sheet for additional privacy options.
- Why a background check?
Our Gathering will take place at a YMCA Camp (Fairview Lake) which, because of regularly hosting youth programs, requires registrants of all facilities to submit their name and birthdate to clear a Megan's Law database. Your birthdate will not be used for any other purpose.
- What is your refund policy?
Up to 50% of your registration is refundable up until 30 days before the event (August 25), after which the registration is nonrefundable.
You may find another person to use your unrefunded ticket, in which case, please contact us via the email below!
Sponsorships are nonrefundable.
Tickets for good, not greed Humanitix dedicates 100% of profits from booking fees to charity