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I've been doing Playback Theatre for over four years now, and knew by the end of the evening on April 12th, that we'd had a special performance and stories. But even i was surprised to hear from strangers after the show about how this kind of artistic form was needed for community dialog in York. Hey folks, we're not running for president. But it was encouraging.

We've just five days to go before our debut public performance of Healing York Playback, and i dare say, after last night, it seems clear that we're ready.

The very real stories and seamless playing reminded me that even in "rehearsal", we're serving people in their real stories.

Sunday was a special Playback session with our core Healing York group. Practicing for the first time at the historic York Friends Meeting House on West Philadelphia Street, we enjoyed the cozy and seemingly sacred space and the sense of support it offered our work and play.

I make art! Check out the images, to buy, order, admire, or watch as little visions develop into various forms.

I've been continuing to make jewelry with beads and found objects, both natural or recycled. It's been fun to get into larger 3-D pieces, such as mobiles, ornaments, car mirror hangers, and dream catchers. I'm gravitating towards sacred, totem art. Little reminders getting bigger, speaking louder.

Last week our Playback group tried a new form of playing stories solo and had some really wonderful results. A "red thread" developed along the lines of gender and "being comfortable in our own skin" and provoked some powerful reflection in each of us.

Now the end of this calendar year is drawing near and the holiday season with it. I am seriously considering planning another Playback Sampler workshop in York and/or Lancaster (Marietta, probably).

The Healing York Playback project was launched out of the need for Yorkers to tell their stories around the hurt and healing of racism and violence in the city -- and have those stories be heard. After months of planning, publicity and recruiting, a sampler workshop was organized on Saturday, September 22, 2007. Nine people were in attendance at the William Penn Performing Arts Institute with folks from a range of ages and ethnic backgrounds. After five intensive hours of playing, acting and stories, the workshop was enthusiastically endorsed by participants as a strong beginning toward a Playback ensemble that could serve the greater York community.