Locked In : A Theatrical Dialogue on Healthcare and Homelessness

how it works

This theater-based project practices a form of style known as Forum Theatre, a branch of Theatre Of the Oppressed.

In a short performance known as an “event”, audience members witness encounters related to homelessness and healthcare, such as a doctor and patient, or social service provider and client. Within the scenes there are clear points of misunderstanding, mistrust, bias and use of power. The performance is followed by an interactive discussion process where the audience gets to become part of the performance, changing what happens with their own ideas of what they’d like to see.

In between presenting new versions of a scene, we discuss what changed and why, if the change was system or short term, and if the change was practical or not. These conversations plant seeds in the minds of today’s care providers and tomorrow’s leaders in training, and they demonstrate how any of us – at any time – have some degree of choice and agency.

audience takeaways

Locked In creates an environment for peer-to-peer learning and dialogue, centering the experiences and voices of the people best informed to identify problems and solutions. Case in point:

After every show, we ask Locked In audiences, “As a result of attending this activity, what takeaways did you have? What new strategies will you apply?” Here’s what one student physician from the University of Minnesota Medical Science Technical Program shared:

“We have a systemic issue in healthcare that cannot be solved through individuals alone but rather through organizing and continued awareness/messaging about exploitative administrative practices that lead to physician burnout and create negative outcomes for our patients.

As physicians in training, we are responsible for the wellbeing and safety of our patients and this involves listening to them with intention and directness. We are treating human beings, not charts or checkboxes.

We are undertrained with relation to how to best care for patients experiencing homelessness, substance use, or any history of these factors.

Strategies to apply:

• be mindful about how I present patients to attendings (eg what details am I sharing? what am I overlooking? are the details I am sharing creating bias against the patient?)

• make eye and physical contact (where appropriate) with the patient and listen to their concerns

• address the patient needs (agenda setting) instead of prioritizing administrative needs/expectations

• care for communities experiencing homelessness without the expectation for applause/praise and do this only if you plan to continue doing it (don't form empty, unreliable connections).”

History

In 2019, zAmya and CAR engaged in a series of solidarity conversations. These conversations gave birth to a new theatrical piece entitled Locked In: Theatrical Dialogue on Healthcare and Homelessness. The original performance consisted of two scenarios that examined the criminalization of homelessness and addiction.

The project expanded in 2024 when zAmya hosted renowned theatrical director Adrian Jackson for a one-month artist residency. Jackson is an expert on Theatre of the Oppressed, the pedagogy that includes this style of Forum Theatre. As part of his residency, zAmya hosted a 3-day Forum and Legislative Theatre Training led by Jackson; the training included exercises and games designed to elicit stories, information and ideas that help us analyze and interrupt harm that our current systems of healthcare and housing reproduce.

Based on content developed during that training, Jackson created Locked In: Care-Fully Breaking Free, a third play for the Locked In program cache. The play debuted at Plymouth Congregational Church in Minneapolis on May 28, 2024, and a selection of scenes was then presented at the Pedagogy and Theatre of the Oppressed Conference in Florida.

Read this reflection piece by zAmya Artistic Director Maren Ward on Jackson’s residency.

The trailer above is based on a performance of Locked In on May 18th, 2022 at the Minneapolis Central Library.

Director / Sound Capture : Owen Brafford

Camera : Max Sjoberg

Editor : Jill Zimmerman

Technical support & camera rentals :  Line Break Media

"Rehearsal for Revolution" is a short documentary about Locked In, created by Prasanna Vankina as part of the Saint Paul Neighborhood Network’s “Doc U 2023” cohort.

Campaign Against Racism (CAR) is dedicated to dismantling structural racism and its effects on health by supporting local actions to improve the health and lives of those most affected by racism. Our partnership with CAR started with CAR folks attending one of our shows and inquiring about a collaboration.

One of our partners from CAR is Mike Westerhaus. Mike is also a primary care clinician, educator, Program Director for the BRIDGE program, and a founding member of the Social Medicine Consortium. We asked Mike to share what feels important about the artistic process of zAmya and CAR working together to write Locked In: