Women's Work Playback Theatre Workshop & Performance

✨ About the Event

Join us for an inspiring evening of storytelling and live theatre, where real-life experiences are shared and brought to life through the art of Playback Theatre. This is more than just a performance—it’s a participatory community experience that celebrates connection, empathy, and the diverse lives of women.

Playback Theatre is a unique form of improvisational performance where audience members are invited to share personal stories, moments, or reflections. These stories are then “played back” by a group of skilled actors and musicians using movement, metaphor, music, and dialogue. It’s moving, entertaining, and often transformative—for both storyteller and audience.

🛠️ Storycrafting Workshop (6:00–6:45 PM)

For women only

Come early and participate in a story-sharing and crafting workshop facilitated by members of the Tell Tales Collective. This gentle, guided space is designed to help you reflect on the theme “Women’s Work” and to explore a moment or story from your life you may wish to share during the performance.

No prior experience is needed—just curiosity and a willingness to explore. Whether your story is humorous, heartfelt, reflective, or raw, this is a space where your voice is welcome.

During the workshop, we’ll:

• Reflect on what “Women’s Work” means to each of us

• Share ideas and moments in small groups

• Support each participant in shaping a story they may wish to offer during the show

• Empower you to witness your story with confidence and presence

You’re welcome to attend just the performance, but we encourage women to come to the workshop to engage more deeply with the event.

🎭 Public Performance (7:00–8:30 PM)

Open to all

At 7:00 PM (doors open at 6:45), the space opens to the public for a moving and heartfelt Playback Theatre performance. Stories shared by women earlier in the evening (and possibly a few from the wider audience) will be performed by the Tell Tales Collective, a troupe of skilled Playback Theatre practitioners.

This is theatre created in the moment—unscripted, spontaneous, and grounded in truth.

Expect:

• A warm, welcoming, and inclusive atmosphere

• Performances that reflect the real, lived experiences of women in our community

• Shared laughter, insight, tenderness, and sometimes tears

• A chance to reflect on your own story while gaining empathy for others’ journeys

The theme “Women’s Work” may inspire stories of paid and unpaid labour, caregiving, resistance, resilience, motherhood, healing, advocacy, and all the unseen and unspoken roles women hold in our communities.

🫖 Light refreshments provided

👩‍💼 Hosted by the Nelson Women’s Centre
🎭 Performed by the Tell Tales Collective

Supported with funding from the Creative Communities Scheme, Creative New Zealand.