Eight people in a Zoom meeting. They are all using body language to create different images.

Our Workshops

An UNESCO-recognized educational tool for implementing social change, Forum Theatre is a community-focused, facilitated style of theatre designed to address social issues and inspire action for change. Forum Theatre gives communities the agency to develop their own grassroots solutions and the ability to envision the positive outcomes of creating social change.

The techniques of Forum Theatre creation are transferable to a wide range of community engagement and educational initiatives. Workshop participants will receive the skills to become better facilitators, artists, community leaders, and more socially-aware educators.

We are so glad to be receiving multiple requests for workshops throughout the year. And in response, we are now holding workshops every 3-4 months! Please check back on this page (or subscribe to our newsletter using the link at the bottom of the page) to be the first in the know about upcoming workshop offerings as they are announced.

Upcoming Workshops

Masks of Manipulation: Online Workshop

This workshop is facilitated by Simon Malbogat and will take place over two sessions.

  • Dates: Saturday October 16th & 23rd, 2021
  • Time: 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM (ET)
  • Venue: Online via Zoom
  • Prerequisites: None!
  • Regular Price: $220 + HST
  • Discount for Students, CAEA, and those identifying as Underwaged: $165 + HST
  • PWYC: Limited number of PWYC payment options available (see details below)
Register Here for Masks of Manipulation!

Workshop Description

This two-part workshop will introduce participants to the “Masks of Manipulation,” an invaluable character development and conflict-resolution process designed by Simon Malbogat. Each mask relates to seven different emotional, physical, mental, and spiritual manipulative forces we encounter both onstage and in daily life. 

In this workshop you will… 

  • Learn how to identify various manipulative personas and de-escalate them effectively 
  • Learn how the masks of manipulation techniques can help communities identify and articulate the oppressive forces in their lives 
  • Use these personas to create authentic oppressive characters for the stage grounded in these manipulative forces 

This workshop draws on Commedia dell’Arte-inspired masks to help participants acquire a deeper awareness of manipulation and oppression: how and why it happens, what it looks and feels like, and how to deflect it. 

Masks of Manipulation can be useful for those working as theatre artists, educators, and in roles that involve helping community members overcome challenging social issues. 

Note: These workshop sessions will be video recorded for internal, archival purposes. If we ever intend to use video footage from the sessions in public materials, we will seek explicit permission from attendees. Please email communications@mixedcompanytheatre.com if you have any questions.

Payment Details

Payment Methods

  • Please make all cheques payable to “Mixed Company Theatre.” Cheques can be mailed to 540 Dawes Road, Apt 407, East York ON M4B2E9.
  • For payments through Interac e-transfer, and to ask any questions about fees, please email us at info@mixedcompanytheatre.com.
  • Cash payments are not permitted.
  • Payment must be made on or before the start date of your workshop in order to receive the Zoom link.

“Pay What You Can”

  • In the spirit of removing financial barriers to access, Mixed Company Theatre is able to offer a limited number of “Pay What You Can” payment options to those who require financial assistance in order to attend our workshops. Please indicate your need for this option through the registration form for the workshop(s) you wish to attend.

What Participants Are Saying About Our Workshops

“This workshop was a great introduction to Forum Theatre for me. Engaging and provoking, this work is great for anyone looking to deepen their understanding of power and power dynamics. The workshop has equipped me with all the necessary skills and knowledge to apply Forum Theatre in my community.”
– Ekaterina Reymarova, Creative Arts Therapy Facilitator, Saint-Petersburg, Russia
“The workshop is fun and interactive; I love that I got to attend it from across the globe in Singapore! Even though I had considerably less experience than some of the others, I did not feel out of place and felt that we were all learning together.”
“There is nothing like being in the hot seat, and having the visceral experience of facilitating/joking. It’s not something that you can learn overnight, but with a foundational layer and lots of feedback from people with experience, you’re more likely to stay in the game when it’s show time!”

Facilitator Bios

Masks of Manipulation Facilitator: Simon Malbogat

Simon Malbogat has created community-engaged theatre for 45 years. He began his career as a professional actor and director using his skills to explore conflict-driven drama. Through that work, he examined the many facets of emotional, physical, and mental manipulation which led him to create the “Masks of Manipulation”. This character development tool is intended to help actors, non-actors and community-engaged professionals identify different types of manipulators. Simon has for several years developed a methodology to use these Masks as a tool to analyze oppression in Forum Theatre and community-engaged theatre works. Simon has led workshops for homeless youth and adults, educators, actors, students, seniors, and newcomers, as well as business leaders at the Banff Leadership Institute. Internationally he has given workshops in Brazil, USA, Europe, Turkey, and India for various institutions and now is facilitating sessions virtually.