Inner Theatre - Unmasking the Human Spirit - Vivian King

On the corner of Imagination Street and Adventure Avenue, in the theatre of your mind, you will find a cast of characters as rich and varied as actors on a Broadway stage.

To produce a successful play - perhaps even a divine comedy - it is necessary to claim your director's chair, become acquainted with your players and playwright, and discover the secrets of directing.

Welcome to the rich and innertaining world of your inner theatre!

"Inner Theatre Playbook"- Vivian King

"Welcome to the Inner Theatre - the private world of your personality where you are the playwright, the director, and all the players; in short - the whole play.

"Inside the theatre, you will be given an entertaining way to recognize and develop the many aspects of yourself. You can expect to explore the unknown regions of your mind, to broaden your emotional repertoire, and to strengthen you center of inner authority. You can take off your masks and be your natural self.

"In the beginning, you will meet a guide who knows her way around the Inner Theatre. First, she will take you behind the scenes and give you a tour of the set. Then she will encourage you to explore your director's sanctum and to find your director's chair. Your guide will introduce you to prominent members of your entourage, audience, and supporting cast She will reveal the profound, yet simple, secrets of directing and will stand beside you as you learn to recognize, accept, and direct your
inner actors.

"The principles you learn in this program will not fail you. You will find them useful throughout life. By taking responsibility for your own act and giving the best of yourself, the world will become a better
place to be - or a better play to see."

"Becoming A Star" Reviewed by Ralph E. Melcher
The Journal of the Association for Humanistic Psychology

Vivian King has produced a wonderfully innovative tool for supporting the intrapersonal development of children from the ages of 8 to 12.

In "Becoming A Star" she addresses the needs of children on a myriad of levels, providing them with an entertaining way to develop self-awareness, self-acceptance and self-responsibility.

Based on the premise that children are inherently playful and creative, and that they respond readily to love, acknowledgment and understanding, the program is designed to build a strong sense of self that includes the clear perception and acceptance of the child's unique desires, feelings,
and talents. The child also gains an ability to contact inner sources of guidance and wisdom in order to express "star" qualities.

The Leader's Guide involves as much trust in the child's own emerging "inner curriculum" as it does a thorough familiarity with the material. The "Preparation" is a careful walk-through to set the stage, involving the use of props, music, mood, and work materials. The "Program" is then carefully scripted, with each section annotated with the corresponding section in the child's Playbook. There is enough material to provide room for flexibility, and suggestions are offered for additional activities that children may pursue with the group or on their own. A set of illustrated visual aids completes the leader's package.

The Playbook is full of pictures and exercises, including many pages for children to engage their budding creativity. As the program unfolds, new territory is continually unveiled as children explore first the theatre, then their inner actors, and eventually their own inner playwright and director. The program touches on virtually all of the essential aspects needed to achieve self-reliance in a constantly changing world.

"Claiming Your Director's Chair" Reviewed by Ralph E. Melcher
The Journal of the Association for Humanistic Psychology

How do you get a teenager's attention and hold it? Vivian King has developed a course of activities that is both engaging and entertaining. Designed for those who are poised between childhood and adulthood, it helps and encourages them in facing this time of deep challenge and growth.
In "Claiming Your Director's Chair", Dr King's program applies the methods and metaphors of the theatre to bring teenagers in touch with their inner wells of creativity. The skills and insights unveiled in the chambers of the Inner Theatre can be of immense value in helping them to make the
choices that will shape their lives and help them arrive at a true sense of self-awareness, self-acceptance, and self-mastery.

Dr King outlines her understanding of the sometimes overwhelming drama that modern teenagers must learn to face, and vividly outlines the possibilities of either Tragedy or Divine Comedy. Her stated goal is to support these amateur actors in producing an individual and collective
drama that can be see as "The Greatest Show on Earth."

Plenty of resources are provided in both the Leader's Guide and the Playbook. Each lesson plan is carefully laid out, with a clear explanation of its purpose and a bit of theoretical background, followed by suggestions for props and setting the stage. The exercises themselves follow a series
of activities that include readings, role playing, and the use of audio and visual aids. Scattered throughout are teaching tips based on the a author's extensive experience of working with similar groups. The segments are somewhat open-ended, offering numerous suggestions for optional activities and encouraging students and teachers to create their own exercises.

The Playbook is a workbook with text and spaces for writing and drawing. It is filled with illustrations and a feast of quotes, cartoons, and potent words of wisdom. Players who pass through this course will become acquainted with the depths and heights of themselves, and will have an entertaining way to handle the complexities of life. Those who continue to use these principles will develop a rich inner life, and will be able to contribute positively to the larger World Play.

Vivian King, like Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, grew up on a farm in Kansas. Along the yellow brick road, she was trained as a psychiatric nurse and a psychotherapist, specializing in Psychosynthesis, a transpersonal psychology. Her experience as director of Psychosynthesis education and counselling programmes for over twelve years inspired her to write Being Here When I Need Me.
She travelled throughout the USA, the Baltics and Russia, where she conducted workshops on Psychosynthesis using the metaphor of the 'Inner Theatre', before a tragic car crash ended her physical life in 2000.