CCU professor shows ‘Empathy through Theater’
Drawing from Adams and others in health care settings as a method for celebrating the personhood of all individuals regardless of physical or cognitive ability, Sota, assistant professor of theatre, will talk about his philosophy of healing in the arts. Sota will discuss the commonality of his healing performances in the United States, Afghanistan, Jordan, Ethiopia and, most recently, Guatemala, and how these performances bring lightness and joy in centers where sadness, trauma and boredom often reside.
"Empathy through theater is a trick to get love close," said Sota. "Using theater assumes your humanity; it assumes that whatever problems you've had, you can still love yourself and love the people around you. I find that doing this work in places like hospitals and senior care homes, places that are sterile, allows for humanity to be inserted back in and true connection and healing to ensue."
Sota teaches physical theatre, movement and circus at CCU. He holds an MFA in physical theatre from the Accademia dell'Arte in Arezzo, Italy, and an MFA in directing from the University of Hawaii at Manoa. He studied circus at Flic Circus School in Turin, Italy; the San Francisco Circus Center; Trapeze Arts; and Acro Sports. He is recognized as a commonwealth speaker of Pennsylvania and recently received the Eben Demarest Trust Fund Award. He has traveled to New Orleans, Jordan, Ethiopia and Afghanistan to perform and teach.
The Myrtle Beach Education Center is located at 900 79th Ave. N. at the corner of U.S. 17 Bypass and 79th Avenue North.
The lecture is co-sponsored by the Thomas W. and Robin W. Edwards College of Humanities and Fine Arts in conjunction with the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute.
For more information on the event, contact Sota at 843-349-2145 or bsota@coastal.edu.