Rhythms in relationships--the production of an original theatre piece for reader's theater and dance, concerning a sterotyped youth/age relationship and incorporating some aspects of transactional analysis

The purpose of this project was to present, in a theatre piece, a stereotyped relationship between youth and age and then to present a better alternative model. There was emphasis on the vocal and visual rhythms that accompany a certain way of relating. Transactional analysis was used where helpful, as a theoretical base.

Various approaches were made to the problem of producing the script. The result was a three-part scene for readers' theatre, accompanied by mime and interpretive dance. The dialogue emphasized ways of relating: the dance helped interpret the dialogue and formed a finale. Readings of poetry about aging were presented as a prologue to the theatre piece.

It was easy to create a recognizable stereotyped relationship between youth and age, but harder to demonstrate an alternative model. It was concluded that in studying youth/age relationships, the consideration of rhythms in vocal and visual expression is an exciting approach.