Authenticity, Belonging, Community

S6 Ep8 : Build Your Capacity To Listen | Michael Rohd


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Michael Rohd is a theatre-maker, educator, process designer, writer and facilitator. His research and creative practice is focused on civic imagination. He has a 30+ year history of projects across sectors bringing cultural activity to the work of public engagement, community planning and cross-sector coalition building. In 1992 in Washington DC he co-founded Hope Is Vital, an arts & public health program that, over 8 years, helped start up theatre-based public engagement/HIV prevention coalitions in over 80 communities around the US. In 1999, he co-founded Sojourn Theatre and served as artistic director for 20 years, co creating and directing nearly 30 devised often site specific and participatory theatre works. In 2012, he co-founded Center for Performance and Civic Practice, a collective of nine artists/facilitators who  work with organizations and agencies around the country on community research, transformational process and system change. He is currently Civic Collaborations Director for One Nation One Project, a national arts/municipality/public health project & research cohort in partnership with National League of Cities; he is co-designer/co-facilitator for Art-Train, a virtual national technical assistance program in partnership with Springboard for the Arts.  He recently founded the Co-Lab for Civic Imagination at the University of Montana, and he is author of the book Theatre for Community, Conflict and Dialogue.


Key Takeaways

  • Groups of people share something, whether that is space, time, values or goals

  • What is the harm of entering a space with the intention of persuading others at all costs?

  • Bringing people together might require different tactics depending on their goals. Reflect and dialogue with community members before jumping in

  • Working with a co-facilitator makes for better processes and better outcomes

  • When things are off, be mindful. Pause and be transparent about what might be going wrong

  • We all need to build our capacity for listening


  • Guest’s Media Recommendations:

    • The Candy House by Jennifer Egan (book)

    • Can’t Drink Salt Water by Kendra Mylnechuk Potter (play)

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      Find Guest’s work:

      • https://howlround.com/commons/michael-rohd

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        For more of Michael’s work, visit our website www.incognitotheplay.com or follow us on Instagram @incognitotheplay

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        Thanks to Ned Doheny for providing our podcast music! You can find him and his music on Spotify.

        Editing and co-production of this podcast by Emma Yarger.

        Email [email protected] with questions or comments about the show!

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        Authenticity, Belonging, CommunityBy Michael Fosberg