The Play Society
A roving school and creative lab dedicated
to acting training and performance-making
rooted in play and collaboration
The Play Society convenes celebrated teaching artists from around the world -
activating spaces for actor-creators to “stumble and frolic” their way
to a deeper sense of playfulness, aliveness & artistry.
Through training and creation grounded in an ethos of play and collaboration,
we open possibilities for live and cinematic performance,
and for the worlds we want to create together.
“If people can discern between the authentic contact and exhilaration of play, instead of branded, mediated, alienated pleasure, then we just might stumble and frolic our way to the Play Society.”
-- Disruptive Play: The Trickster In Politics and Culture
Sessions
OPEN PLAY
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PARIS, FRANCE
June 29 - July 12, 2026
Led by Justine, Katie & Emmanuelle
Join us in Paris for a two-week intensive in acting and performance-making
that brings together training in -
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play, games, & clown
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vocal & musical exploration
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neutral mask, and physical investigation
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We'll explore the actor's pleasure in playing, and what brings each actor uniquely to life on stage, and we'll investigate the principles of play that sit at the heart of the theatrical event and give life to the comic world.
The Source of Play
Our Vision
The Play Society shares a belief in the rigorous practice and transformative potential of play.
Through embodied training and guided exploration that engage voice, body, spirit, & imagination, we support artists in their journey:
· To rediscover their innate pleasure in and capacity for play
· To listen and respond with readiness and sensitivity
· To access emotional truth and a sense of poetic possibility
· To cultivate a dynamic relationship with both inner life and the world around them
· To develop tools for meaningful encounter with fellow artists and their audience
Ever-evolving, ever-curious – The Play Society welcomes actors, writers, directors, creators, and all those who may be curious about the potential of playful investigation and creative exchange.
With a deeper connection to the source of their playfulness, and with tools & skills for rigorous play, artists emerge empowered to bring their creative impulses more fully to life, to embody & inhabit theatrical worlds, and to imagine and create new ones.
CONNECT WITH US
