Facilitating through a Black queer feminist lens : presence, play, and vulnerability

As a facilitator, I am interested in devising theatre for the very young through a Black queer feminist lens. Black Queer Feminist Theory offers me a new approach to being in collaboration with others, to disrupting a power-down dynamic in favor of a co-constructed space. Similarly, devising asks us to collaborate closely within artist spaces. The combining of theory into practice provides an entry point into thinking beyond what I have known rehearsal and devising spaces with youth to be, centering a top-down power dynamic with the adult at the helm. I’m interested in creating a framework that centers community, care, and authenticity. During the summer of 2023, I worked with a group of teen artists to develop a theatre-for-the-very-young piece. Though many young people have been in devising processes before, devising specifically for ages 0-5 was a new experience for this group. Though I have years of experience as a facilitator, working from a Black queer feminist lens was new to me. In this study I use reflexive practitioner research to understand how a Black queer feminist lens impacted my facilitation of a devising process with teens. This paper explores the questions, outcomes, and practices of facilitating in conversation with Black Queer Feminist theorists. Ultimately this process taught me that centering play, presence, and vulnerability offered flexibility and connection in the space, both as a facilitator and also as a creative artist. In this thesis I propose an approach to facilitation that focuses on play and vulnerability in order to deepen relationships and rehearsal outcomes. Throughout the process, tensions came up between theory and practice as I worked to understand how to bring myself fully into a space, while also providing room for others to do the same.