Getting On: A Backstage Tour

Creative workshop

This workshop was developed as a collaboration with artist Lois Weaver, Professor of Contemporary Performance at Queen Mary University of London. Together Weaver and Curious conducted a series of two-day creative workshops with groups in London, San Francisco and Palo Alto to create a series of exercises that generate personal yet creative responses to subjects such as fear, aging and identity. This workshop uses metaphors of the theatre with its ‘backstage’ and ‘on stage’ aspects to explore confronting fears and performing ourselves to the world.

You can download the complete open source workshop template. Getting On was initially developed for elderly groups, but can also be used and adapted with a wide range of participants (‘age fright’ can happen at any point in a lifetime, including puberty, leaving the nest, ‘midlife crisis’ or retirement). If you do download and use the workshop template, we would love to hear how you get on – please reach out and let us know!

Download the workshop template PDF

This project was generously supported by a Stanford University Community Engagement Grant. The workshop was developed in collaboration with participants from AGLOW (Association of Greater London Older Women), the San Francisco Senior Center, Aquatic Park (the oldest non-profit senior center in the United States) and Channing House retirement community, Palo Alto. Thanks to Sukanya Chakrabarti.