Sanitas
Playback Theatre
Reflecting the Heart of Your Story
Our Story
Let's have Artistic Director Brie Barker tell you this story by answering a few questions, starting with the one Brie says he's been asked the most ...
Okay, so what's with the name Sanitas?!
"Believe me, naming a theatre company isn't an easy thing to do. For me, the experience was almost as nerve-wracking and heavy in responsibility as naming my son was -- there's a lot of tortured thinking that goes into it!
"In short, sanitas is Latin for sanity. Dig a little deeper and you'll find out it also reflects:
- a sound mind: right reason, good sense
- a sound body: health, to cure, to heal, to recover
- a sound style: appropriate correctness, regularity, purity.
"In the end, I feel the name Sanitas captures my firm belief that theatre, and especially playback theatre, is a powerful way for us to examine our individual life experiences, where they sit within the experiences we have in common and, along the way, move us from a place of isolation to a place of healthier togetherness."
Is this some kind of weird, elitist theatre?
"My marketing consultant told me to expect this question if I gave the company a Latin name!
"Playback is certainly different than the type of theatre most people are used to seeing but there's nothing weird or elitist about it at all. It's a type of theatre that speaks directly to the lives of you and your neighbours.
"Visit the page called Playback's Story on our website and you'll get a fuller picture of what it's all about."
How did Sanitas Playback Theatre come about?
"I was a founding company member of Toronto Playback Theatre back in 2002. It didn't take long for me to get hooked on playback and I enjoyed six wonderful years with this fantastic ensemble.
"When I moved to Ottawa with my wife and son in March 2008, I knew that playback theatre would somehow continue to be an essential part of my life. By the time the leaves were changing colour that fall, I had decided to create a new playback theatre company here in my new community."
What's your overall vision for Sanitas Playback Theatre?
"To serve the people of Ottawa by providing a uniquely rich, theatrical and personal experience; to honour our individual lives and deepen our connections to each other ... and have a good time doing it!"
