It really works!

  • MSIIT presents issues so that participants want to talk about them. It provides an alternative to lecture and video trainings, utilizing intuitive strategies that stimulate the nonverbal and emotional side of the brain.
  • The scenarios are designed around the experiences and challenges of the audience members, the participants can more easily relate to, and engage in, the issues.
  • The situations and attitudes portrayed by MSIIT are lifelike. The audience can engage in the issues without the intense personal reactions that often make real-life discussion more difficult. When audience members choose to become involved in an activity there is a far greater likelihood that the experience will be meaningful.
  • Performances are entertaining, easily holding the interest of an audience. Scenarios are designed to stimulate dialogue and problem solving within groups.
  • The process begins with exploratory conversations with the client organization. In these conversations, the client organization identifies issues to be highlighted, while Theater members become familiar with background information. Building on these discussions, members of the Marti Stevens Interactive Theater develop a series of short “worst case” scenarios that brings the targeted issues to life. Performances consist of 3 to 5 scenarios, each including audience interaction.
  • At a critical point in each scenario, the facilitator stops the action, the actors stay in character, and then invites the audience to interact with and question the characters. This interactive stage is where participants can “use” the characters to explore the issues and their possible remedies. The enthusiasm for the process is infectious.