David's Book - Theatre for Living

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"I greatly admire the achievements of David Diamond and his Headlines Theatre. He is following his own path, doing extraordinary and groundbreaking work in several fields, like his work with many First Nations communities in Canada and the US, and his adaptation of Forum Theatre on TV and on the Internet. This book relates the experiences of his life in theatre. For what he has already done, is doing, and certainly will do, David Diamond deserves all our support."

Augusto Boal, founder of Theatre of the Oppressed, author of Theatre of the Oppressed, Rainbow of Desire, and Legislative Theatre

“This book can be inspiring to anyone concerned about the future of humanity, both inside and outside the theatre.”

Fritjof Capra, physicist and systems theorist, author of The Tao of Physics, The Web of Life, and The Hidden Connections

“David Diamond’s work has been an inspiration to performers, artists, community leaders throughout Canada and beyond. The ideas in Theatre for Living are large, daring, challenging; but the steps by which Diamond follows and implements the ideas are precise and accessible. As I read I found myself being taken further and further into the life that is both theatre and the making of theatre, which is to say I was led into how life can be given its meaning.”

Hugh Brody, anthropologist and film-maker, author of Maps And Dreams,
Living Arctic and The Other Side of Eden

Award image The book can be ordered through your local bookstore. Give them the title
and the ISBN # below.

You can also
order it online directly from the publisher

It is also available online in hard copy and digital reader versions at:

ALL Amazon outlets (.com, .ca, .uk, .de, .fr, .jp) and Chapters

In Vancouver, available at:

Duthie Books
Biz Books
Banyen Books

ISBN # 1-4251-2458-5 • Suggested retail price: $29.95 CAN

To order 5 or more books by phone, call 888.232.4444 or 250.383.6864.
UK and EU customers call 44.1865.722.113

“Theatre for Living is an essential resource for anyone interested in the power of theatre to evoke community healing. The book has much to offer to theatre practitioners, social justice advocates, community cultural workers, educators and activists who are looking for ways to both improve and engage in a visceral and performative dialogue around community empowerment.”

Dr. Michelle La Flamme, Instructor, First Nations Studies Program and
Department of English, University Of British Columbia

“Theatre for Living by David Diamond (Trafford). Diamond, who has been creating activist theatre in Vancouver for decades, writes about the evolution of his approach to playmaking -- from studies with Brazilian theatre pioneer Augusto Boal to his latest work, which lets communities create and alter their own stories on responding to the environmental crisis. Sounds a bit earnest, but the book, like Diamond's work with Vancouver's Headlines Theatre, is lively and challenging -- especially his quarrel with left-wing orthodoxies about the nature of oppression and the oppressor.”

Tom Sandborn, Tyee's Guide to Book Giving

5.0 out of 5 stars Magical ride through the world of community-based theatre, November 6, 2007
“Finally David Diamond has found the time and inspiration to write a book about his groundbreaking theatre work with communities in Canada and around the world. Combining thoughts about systems theory and theatre, Diamond manages to shine a refreshingly new light on what is perhaps the most transformative form of theatre. In addition, several case studies as well as countless theatre games and exercises make this book a highly practical guide for all those interested in the art that is 'Theatre for Living'.”

Hjalmar Jorge Joffre-Eichhorn, in Kabul, Afghanistan, via Amazon.com

REVISION OF Theatre for Living: the art and science of community-based dialogue

David did a workshop in Calgary in June of 2007 in which he ran a "Wildest Dream" exercise. During the work he had an insight into the technique that changed the way he does the exercise. The book had already gone to print. He feels the change is so fundamental to the exercise that he has revised the book file (now v.1.1) at Trafford Publishing to include the evolution of The Wildest Dream. For those of you who may have version 1.0, the rewritten pages are available as a PDF here

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