Drama Therapy As Performance

The CANY Model: The Present Moment

Creative Alternatives of New York (CANY) was a drama therapy organization based out of New York City. Founded at Mt. Sinai Hospital, Department of Psychiatry in 1983, CANY partnered with leading social service agencies and education programs across New York City, Westchester, and Connecticut. The CANY model evolved over 40 years of clinical and artistic practice into a formal trauma-informed staged-based approach to drama therapy, responding to the increased prevalence of trauma exposure among client-base, both in children and adults. Programs were co-facilitated by licensed creative arts therapists and artists highly trained in the implementation of the model. Sadly, CANY closed its doors in June of 2018. Although the organization no longer exists the model continues to be practiced and written about by those who have been trained in the method. Through the use of trauma-informed drama therapy in a group setting, the CANY model helps children and adults expand their sense of self, imagine new life possibilities and build the social and emotional tools they need to thrive. The model is grounded in three guiding principles as written in the CANY Training Manual (2014): Creativity As Health, Metaphor as Healing Tool and Group as Therapeutic Agent. And although these factors are present in many drama therapy methods, we like to think about it as a recipe where we are mixing these principles in the right ratio to empower those who we are working with. The strength based model is grounded in collaboration. From co-leadership, to the understanding that the group holds the knowledge, to making sure other staff on site are brought into the process, the model strives for transparency and co-creation.

Program Director and Series Creator: Prof. Nisha Sajnani
Presenter: Britton Williams
Directors: Heidi Landis and Jenny Solomon
Ensemble: Meredith Dean, Sami Disador,, Sophia Marrero, Jennifer Richards, Carrie Watt, Yi Yang
Discussants: Maria Hodermarska, Michael Manzi, Clara Zhang
Production Stage Manager and Technical Director: Ellen Smittle
Assistant Stage Manager: Helen Samoskevich

Theatre of the Oppressed (Forum Theatre): Therapists Managing Complicity in Hospitals

Theatre of the Oppressed (TO) developed and systemized by Augusto Boal in the 1960s, is an aesthetic and political tool of the oppressed and for the oppressed that enables the collective search for concrete alternatives to real problems (In Augusto’s Footsteps, 2015). In this demonstration, one specific technique of TO, Forum Theatre, will explore systemic issues encountered by therapists in municipal hospitals in the U.S. In a Forum Theatre scene, actors represent contradictions, invite audiences or ‘spect-actors’ to activate possibilities within a dramatic reality, and rehearse options for actions within seemingly unchangeable circumstances (Sajnani et al., 2020). For this performance, NYU Drama Therapy is excited to collaborate with Liz Morgan, a facilitator with Theatre of the Oppressed NYC (TONYC), a New York City based company that uses T.O. techniques in partnership with communities facing discrimination to form theatre troupes. Learn more at tonyc.nyc and find TONYC on Instagram and Twitter at instagram.com/tonyc_action.

Program Director and Series Creator: Prof. Nisha Sajnani
Director/Joker: Akhila Khanna
Ensemble: Taylor Beckman, Sean Paul Carleton, Sabrina Dahlman, Kristina Olegario Loy, Liz Morgan, Teshonne Powell
Discussants: Maria Hodermarska, Daisy Cai, Clara Zhang
Production Stage Manager and Technical Director: Ellen Smittle
Assistant Stage Manager: Helen Samoskevich

Sociodrama: Holding Differing Views With Kindness

Sociodrama is a group action method in which participants enact agreed upon situations spontaneously. Though similar to role play, sociodrama employs a large variety of interventions to widen and deepen the scope of the action and ensure greater buy-in and positive shift subsequent to the action. Do you ever find yourself thinking or saying: 'I can't believe you think that' or 'You're so wrong!'? This sociodrama session will focus on how we can become more comfortable with holding others' views with kindness and open-heartedness while still maintaining our own views without defensiveness or aggression.

Reference Sociodrama: Who’s in Your Shoes?, 2nd Edition, by Patricia Sternberg and Antonina Garcia, Praeger Press, 2000.

Program Director and Series Creator: Prof. Nisha Sajnani
Director: Nina Garcia
Ensemble: Whitney Bell, Linda Condon, Jun Deng, Karen Moore, German Sanchez, Lauren Shpall-Brown
Discussants: Maria Hodermarska, Anamarija Vuic
Production Stage Manager and Technical Director: Ellen Smittle
Assistant Stage Manager: Helen Samoskevich

Psychodrama: Focusing on Gratitude

Psychodrama is a deep action method in which people enact scenes from their lives, dreams, or fantasies in order to express previously unexpressed feelings, gain insights in action, and practice new and more adequate behaviors. There is a significant amount of research showing that a daily gratitude practice improves mood and helps us to stay emotionally regulated. This psychodrama session will focus on gratitude and how our thankfulness can facilitate a return to and re-confirmation of comfort, potency, and connection. 

For more information, see “Psychodrama” by Antonina Garcia and Dale Richard Buchanan in Current Approaches to Drama Therapy, 1st edition, David Read Johnson and Penny Lewis, eds., 2000.

Program Director and Series Creator: Prof. Nisha Sajnani
Director: Nina Garcia
Ensemble: Whitney Bell, Linda Condon, Jon DeAngelis, Karen Moore, German Sanchez, Lauren Shpall-Brown
Discussants: Maria Hodermarska, Anamarija Vuic
Production Stage Manager and Technical Director: Ellen Smittle
Assistant Stage Manager: Helen Samoskevich

Role Theory and Method: Embodied Supervision

This presentation includes two approaches to supervision in drama therapy inspired by Role Theory and Method articulated by Dr. Robert Landy and embodied supervision techniques developed by NYU Drama Therapy Faculty Sara McMullian. The Relational-Roles Assessment Protocol (RRAP) was created by NYU Drama Therapy Faculty Britton Williams (PhD Candidate). It is an approach to clinical supervision intended to support clinicians and supervisors in exploring countertransference, expanding empathy through a relational-role framework, and identifying biases. The Embodied Case Narrative (ECN) was developed by NYU Drama Therapy Faculty Dana Trottier to process, communicate, and disseminate the clinical practice of a drama therapist. Utilizing supervisory tools grounded in role theory and a variation on role method and hero's journey, participants explore embodied empathy, therapeutic relationship, role responsiveness, and clinical challenges through embodiment and performance. 

Program Director and Series Creator: Prof. Nisha Sajnani
Presenter: Sara McMullian
Drama Therapists:  Britton Williams, Dana George Trottier
Actors: Rachel Boelter, Dominique Darrell, Chantal Georges, Carlos Rodriguez Perez, Adam Stevens
Discussants:  Alessia Hughes &  Idalmis Garcia Rodriguez
Filmmaker: Elyes Baccar

Role Theory and Method: Co-Active Therapeutic Theatre (CoATT)

The CoActive Therapeutic Theater (CoATT) model is the first manualized model of therapeutic theatre created by Dr. Laura Wood and Dave Mowers to support persons in various forms of recovery. In this demonstration, individuals in early eating disorder recovery demonstrate Exercise One, Movement Two of CoATT. Participants explore the role of “recovery” through utilizing steps in Robert Landy’s Role Method (invoking the role, naming the role, exploring the role) via movement, sound, sculpting, monologue, performance, and witnessing.  Participants look for points of intersection and difference in their recovery roles and begin to form a shared theme they commit to exploring in the final performance. For more information about this model.

Program Director and Series Creator: Prof. Nisha Sajnani
Presenter: Maria Hodermarska
Drama Therapist: Dr. Laura Wood
Actors: Dani Bryant, Courtney Dowdell, Francesca Janello, Annie Pardoe, Maya Wilder
Discussants: Jun Deng & Callum Fedele
Filmmaker: Elyes Baccar

Role Theory and Method: Being Black and Strong

The Black American Role Taxonomy (BART System) was developed by Adam Stevens to explore the range of Black American experience through drama therapy. Drawing on the Role Taxonomy developed by Dr. Robert Landy, Stevens works with students from the Cooke School and Institute in a playful exploration of racialized roles toward a greater capacity to re-author oppressive narratives and experience a sense of empowerment.

Program Director and Series Creator: Prof. Nisha Sajnani
Presenter: Britton Willians
Drama Therapist: Adam Stevens 
Actors: Jackie A., Diontae  B., Josh B., Linden “LJ” B., Kiana D., Christopher L., Kristin L., Jadin M., Branden R., Stephanie R., Quentaya W.
Discussants: Jadae Johnson & Mary Morris
Stagehand/Intern: Whitney Bell
Filmmaker: Elyes Baccar

Group Developmental Transformations (DvT): Twisting the Plot

Developmental Transformations (DvT) is an improvisational approach to drama therapy articulated by Dr. David R. Johnson in which two or more participants engage in a continuous improvisational, pretend, play. In this demonstration, Dr. Cecilia Dintino facilitates a group DvT session with women in mid-life. Dintino observed that women in their 50s face much change and turbulence as they enter a stage of life that is uncharted, mired with negative bias and overlooked in developmental and psychological theories. Via play, Dintino guides women to encounter the surprise, demand, and instability that accompanies being an older woman in relationship with the world. Instead of clinging to what is known, what has been, and what should be, she guides them in a process with the aim to let go and allow what and who might be next emerge. For more information, please see Twisting the Plot.

Program Director and Series Creator: Prof. Nisha Sajnani
Presenter: Renée Pitre
Drama Therapist: Cecilia Dintino 
Actors: Charisse Brown, Zeneida Disla, Tami Gatta, Maria Hodermarska, Heidi Landis, Barbara Mckechnie, Stephanie Omens, Joan Wittig
Discussants: Lauren Csete & Chelsi Kern
Filmmaker: Elyes Baccar

Trauma Centered Developmental Transformations (DvT)

Developmental Transformations (DvT) is an improvisational approach to drama therapy articulated by Dr. David R. Johnson in which two or more participants engage in a continuous improvisational, pretend play. In this demonstration, Alicia Stephen with Annarose Squillante and Noa Emanuel with Gloria Xiaowei present two “short-form” trauma-centered DvT sessions to highlight the use of this embodied approach to facilitate progressive desensitization and an increased tolerance for ambiguity.  

Program Director and Series Creator: Prof. Nisha Sajnani
Presenters: Cat Davis, Antonietta Delli Carpini, Erinn Webb & Kat Lee
Drama Therapists: Noa Emanuel, Alicia Stephen
Actors: Annarose Squillante, Gloria Xiaowei
Discussants: Monica Gamboa & Amanda Rothman
Filmmaker: Elyes Baccar

Autobiographical Therapeutic Performance

Drama Therapy as Performance is a series of the NYU Steinhardt Program in Drama Therapy in which we document current approaches and therapeutic innovations in drama therapy. In this installment, Visiting Professor (Spring '22) Susana Pendzik leads a group of drama therapy students (now alums) through the process of developing and presenting Autobiographical Therapeutic Performance. 

Program Director and Series Creator: Prof. Nisha Sajnani
Presenter: Susana Pendzik
Drama Therapists: Ellen Smittle and Idalmis Garcia Rodriguez
Actors: Max Durrant, Brandon Elam, Hamutal Posklinsky Shehory, Tuesday Taylor, Courtney Way
Stage Manager: Ellen Smittle
Videographer and Editor: Claudio Fayngolz