| Description |
The rhetoric and practices of the Mormon Church and its patriarchal structure perpetuate the silencing of women's voices and experiences. When women choose to no longer participate in the Mormon faith, their story is further marginalized due to the cultural stigma associated with questioning the Mormon faith. By combining the three methodologies of story circles, ethnodrama, and community-based theatre, this study explores the experiences of inactive Mormon women through an arts-based approach that maximizes community member involvement. Participants in story circles found validation by sharing their stories, many of them sharing more emotional stories than they would have otherwise because of the like-mindedness of the group. Story circle participants also created connections among other participants through the trust established through the methodology. By watching the performance, audience members who were either inactive Mormon women or in similar demographics reported feeling validated by the performance. Additionally, audience members who were outsiders developed a sense of understanding and compassion to those experiencing the phenomenon. Furthermore, performers were able to explore their own identity and exercised representational agency, providing a deep connection between performer and script. Due to the emotional nature of the performance, the relationship between audience and performer was heightened. |
