DEEP PLAY PERFORMANCE TROUPE
Seeking: curious, creative, open-hearted/minded, passionate, expressive, critical, reflective, playful, vulnerable, bold, wild persons to join a psycho-theatrical-artistic playground performance collective
FALL 2025 / PORTLAND, OR
Various Days/Times Oct-Nov, 2025 (see below)
application deadline = Oct 1st
FALL 2025 / PORTLAND, OR
Various Days/Times Oct-Nov, 2025 (see below)
application deadline = Oct 1st
You:
-Feel aligned with many of the adjectives and nouns from the tagline of this post
-Are able to quickly tap into authentic emotional expressions using gestures, sounds and words
-Are able to persist in a conversational thread of questions upon questions that deepen the investigation as they persist
-Feel comfortable receiving and giving physical touch (non-sexual)
-Are not afraid of (perhaps even you feel fascinated by) shadows: anger, criticality, obsession, etc
-Are able to know your own emotional boundaries and/or self-regulate if over-extended
-Are simultaneously able to be pushed to go deeper (and very much want that) but are also able to say “no” that’s enough
-Have at least a moderate amount of experience with some kind of psychosomatic movement/expression/dance practice
Practicals:
-We will meet for rehearsals 1 month prior to a performance in early Nov 2025
-There is no cost to join. And all income from ticket sales will be split 50:50 amongst the team and facilitator
-There will be an intention to have future cycles of rehearsal-performance (hopefully 1-2 times per calendar year)
-This will run as a collective (a troupe) with a director. The director will try their best to be simultaneously open to the thoughts-directions-ideas of the collective while also maintaining a rigorous/uncompromising aesthetic
What will this look like? Some possible images of rehearsals:
-Partswork psychodramatic exploration where one person steps up to the center of the room and begins moving into and expressing inner parts using gesture and sound and then other members of the crew come up and express alongside them, thereby creating a map of embodied inner parts which we then mould and modify and play with
-Tapping into archetypal-demonic-angelic energies and letting those energies move through you such that you develop them into a character (a kind of creature with distinct ways of moving, sounding, expressing, speaking) and then allowing this character to interact with other characters
-Improvising meta-narratives that explain what is happening while it is happening and then having someone else interrupt your meta-narrative to offer their own meta-narrative until you form a dispute about the proper way of interrupting the piece
-Dancing intense psychological states of being, and using the group to extend those embodied expressions into the far reaches of the imagination, adding to the musicality and choreography of the scene created
-Vocal expressions (proto-song) interwoven amongst the group, accompanied by gestures and movement, used to punctuate a scene and provide breaks for non-meaning and non-aspiration
Intention / Vision:
Please read this longer piece of writing about the intention / vision of The Deep Play Troupe to get a better idea of the kinds of practices, methodologies, and pedagogies (perhaps also ontology?) of this group.
Who is this for? What will I get out of this? Why should I do this?
-This is designed for people whose soul’s feel deeply called to this kind of psychodramatic investigation. If you are moved by the writing above, and if your soul is screaming YES! then that may be enough of a reason to join.
-This is not explicitly designed for actors. This is not designed as a resume-builder, or one-off experience, or opportunity to build one’s professional career as a theatre artist. That said, actors or theatre folks are welcome/encouraged to apply.
-This work involves radical exploration of self and other. While the actual content of what we will be doing is somewhat unknown, the modes of exploration will involve connecting with very deep, authentic expressions in a relational setting. Inevitably, this will involve investigations into what you are beneath the layers of politeness and culture. This work is an exploration of truth. Uncovering your own depths, blossoming and fruiting insights, deepened feelings of connection and relational authenticity are bound to arise.
-This work involves radically deep play. We will play wildly and fully. We will get sweaty and laugh and cry and dissolve into the floor and ascend to the heights. Is this not the most fun to be had? (I mean, truly, nothing else is more fun than this, no?)
-Healing? Healing may or may not occur. Transformation will certainly occur. We will transform into creatures. We will transform into altered versions of ourselves with full and wild emotions. We will transform into responsive, creative, attuned playful beings. Is that healing? I think so. And hopefully you do too.
History of our Troupe:
Our troupe began in November 2024. We have had 2 performances at Performance Works Northwest, one in November of 2024, and the other was a durational performance in April of 2025. Our troupe is composed of around 10 rotating members.
Timeline:
Application Due: Oct 1
Group Audition: Sunday Oct 5th 7-9pm
Acceptance Emails by Oct 10th
Rehearsal & Performance Schedule*
Intros / Agreements / Group Cohesion
[important that we are all here for these]
-Friday Oct 17th 7-9pm
-Saturday Oct 18th 12-5pm [dinner together after, location tbd, 5-7pm]
Experimenting with Structures & Techniques
[ok if you miss 1 of the weekday rehearsals ]
-Wednesday Oct 22 7-9pm
-Saturday Oct 25th 12-5pm
-Thursday Oct 30 7-9pm
Rehearsals 1 Week Prior
[important that we are all here for these]
-Saturday Nov 1 12-6pm
-Sunday Nov 2 12-6pm
-Tuesday Nov 4, 7-9pm
-Wednesday Nov 5, 7-9pm
-Thursday Nov 6, 7-9pm
Performances [all at Performance Works Northwest]
-Friday Nov 7, 7-9pm
-Saturday Nov 8, 7-9pm
-Sunday Nov 9, 7-9pm
*this is a rough schedule and may have mild adaptations in the coming month
-Feel aligned with many of the adjectives and nouns from the tagline of this post
-Are able to quickly tap into authentic emotional expressions using gestures, sounds and words
-Are able to persist in a conversational thread of questions upon questions that deepen the investigation as they persist
-Feel comfortable receiving and giving physical touch (non-sexual)
-Are not afraid of (perhaps even you feel fascinated by) shadows: anger, criticality, obsession, etc
-Are able to know your own emotional boundaries and/or self-regulate if over-extended
-Are simultaneously able to be pushed to go deeper (and very much want that) but are also able to say “no” that’s enough
-Have at least a moderate amount of experience with some kind of psychosomatic movement/expression/dance practice
Practicals:
-We will meet for rehearsals 1 month prior to a performance in early Nov 2025
-There is no cost to join. And all income from ticket sales will be split 50:50 amongst the team and facilitator
-There will be an intention to have future cycles of rehearsal-performance (hopefully 1-2 times per calendar year)
-This will run as a collective (a troupe) with a director. The director will try their best to be simultaneously open to the thoughts-directions-ideas of the collective while also maintaining a rigorous/uncompromising aesthetic
What will this look like? Some possible images of rehearsals:
-Partswork psychodramatic exploration where one person steps up to the center of the room and begins moving into and expressing inner parts using gesture and sound and then other members of the crew come up and express alongside them, thereby creating a map of embodied inner parts which we then mould and modify and play with
-Tapping into archetypal-demonic-angelic energies and letting those energies move through you such that you develop them into a character (a kind of creature with distinct ways of moving, sounding, expressing, speaking) and then allowing this character to interact with other characters
-Improvising meta-narratives that explain what is happening while it is happening and then having someone else interrupt your meta-narrative to offer their own meta-narrative until you form a dispute about the proper way of interrupting the piece
-Dancing intense psychological states of being, and using the group to extend those embodied expressions into the far reaches of the imagination, adding to the musicality and choreography of the scene created
-Vocal expressions (proto-song) interwoven amongst the group, accompanied by gestures and movement, used to punctuate a scene and provide breaks for non-meaning and non-aspiration
Intention / Vision:
Please read this longer piece of writing about the intention / vision of The Deep Play Troupe to get a better idea of the kinds of practices, methodologies, and pedagogies (perhaps also ontology?) of this group.
Who is this for? What will I get out of this? Why should I do this?
-This is designed for people whose soul’s feel deeply called to this kind of psychodramatic investigation. If you are moved by the writing above, and if your soul is screaming YES! then that may be enough of a reason to join.
-This is not explicitly designed for actors. This is not designed as a resume-builder, or one-off experience, or opportunity to build one’s professional career as a theatre artist. That said, actors or theatre folks are welcome/encouraged to apply.
-This work involves radical exploration of self and other. While the actual content of what we will be doing is somewhat unknown, the modes of exploration will involve connecting with very deep, authentic expressions in a relational setting. Inevitably, this will involve investigations into what you are beneath the layers of politeness and culture. This work is an exploration of truth. Uncovering your own depths, blossoming and fruiting insights, deepened feelings of connection and relational authenticity are bound to arise.
-This work involves radically deep play. We will play wildly and fully. We will get sweaty and laugh and cry and dissolve into the floor and ascend to the heights. Is this not the most fun to be had? (I mean, truly, nothing else is more fun than this, no?)
-Healing? Healing may or may not occur. Transformation will certainly occur. We will transform into creatures. We will transform into altered versions of ourselves with full and wild emotions. We will transform into responsive, creative, attuned playful beings. Is that healing? I think so. And hopefully you do too.
History of our Troupe:
Our troupe began in November 2024. We have had 2 performances at Performance Works Northwest, one in November of 2024, and the other was a durational performance in April of 2025. Our troupe is composed of around 10 rotating members.
Timeline:
Application Due: Oct 1
Group Audition: Sunday Oct 5th 7-9pm
Acceptance Emails by Oct 10th
Rehearsal & Performance Schedule*
Intros / Agreements / Group Cohesion
[important that we are all here for these]
-Friday Oct 17th 7-9pm
-Saturday Oct 18th 12-5pm [dinner together after, location tbd, 5-7pm]
Experimenting with Structures & Techniques
[ok if you miss 1 of the weekday rehearsals ]
-Wednesday Oct 22 7-9pm
-Saturday Oct 25th 12-5pm
-Thursday Oct 30 7-9pm
Rehearsals 1 Week Prior
[important that we are all here for these]
-Saturday Nov 1 12-6pm
-Sunday Nov 2 12-6pm
-Tuesday Nov 4, 7-9pm
-Wednesday Nov 5, 7-9pm
-Thursday Nov 6, 7-9pm
Performances [all at Performance Works Northwest]
-Friday Nov 7, 7-9pm
-Saturday Nov 8, 7-9pm
-Sunday Nov 9, 7-9pm
*this is a rough schedule and may have mild adaptations in the coming month
DIRECTOR / FACILITATOR
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Aaron Finbloom is a philosopher, artist and pedagogue. He is the co-founder of The School of Making Thinking (SMT) and the founder & director of The Deep Play Institute (DPI). His practice involves expanding transformative inquiry through games, performance art and structured play. With training in Circling, Authentic Relating, and Psychodrama, he also facilitates experimental individual and group sessions inspired by these practices. Finbloom has presented works internationally at venues which include: The Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago, Gallery 151 (New York), Maschinenhaus Kulturbrauerei (Berlin), UNAM (Mexico City), and MainLine Theatre (Montreal). He holds a PhD in Interdisciplinary Humanities & Fine Arts from Concordia University in Montreal, and is currently teaching Philosophy at the City College of New York. finblooming.com
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