live garra theatre
VOICE OF THE HUMAN LIVING EXPERIENCE
Live Garra Theatre is committed to nurturing a vibrant and unified community, rooted in the belief that every individual’s experience contributes to the richness of society.
"RHINOCEROS"
By Eugene Ionesco
JUNE 20 - JULY 5
By Eugene Ionesco
JUNE 20 - JULY 5
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Playback Theatre: A Moment-to-Moment Experience
Playback Theatre: A Moment-to-Moment Experience
"See Me as I see Me ~ See me as I am!"
JUNE 30, 2026
Playback Theatre invites the audience to tell a moment from their life, and then watch the improvised scenes of their stories played back on the spot.
Playback Theatre, a re-creation of stories focused on themes such as bias and marginalization, aids in strengthening community ties.
Playback Theatre story-sharing conversations is a collaborative approach that allows Storytellers to gain the unique opportunity to witness their experiences through fresh perspectives.
Playback Theatre encourages story-sharing to find connections between stories, fostering meaningful dialogue with artistic shape and nuance.
JUNE 30, 2026
Playback Theatre invites the audience to tell a moment from their life, and then watch the improvised scenes of their stories played back on the spot.
Playback Theatre, a re-creation of stories focused on themes such as bias and marginalization, aids in strengthening community ties.
Playback Theatre story-sharing conversations is a collaborative approach that allows Storytellers to gain the unique opportunity to witness their experiences through fresh perspectives.
Playback Theatre encourages story-sharing to find connections between stories, fostering meaningful dialogue with artistic shape and nuance.
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PLAYBACK THEATRE WORKSHOP FEBRUARY 15, 2026
Playback Theatre is integral to the healing process, especially for racial healing. The participants shared stories about a time when they felt their voice was not heard. Actors humbly stepped into a participant’s childhood memory – played it back and found their essence, parts of themselves from their past. 
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Everyone participated in a word cloud exercise and the words resonated with the creation of a haiku:
"Every Story Bridges Truth, Transformation --
Dissolve Space, Begin." |
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MONTGOMERY MAGAZINE ON STAGE
LIVE GARRA MAKES THEATER WITH PERSISTENCE
BY LISA TRAIGER
MONTGOMERY MAGAZINE ON STAGE
LIVE GARRA MAKES THEATER WITH PERSISTENCE
BY LISA TRAIGER
"GARRA IS A PORTUGUESE WORD for the curved or hooked claw of a bird of prey or animal. And it’s an unexpected name for a theater company. But after spending some time with Silver Spring based actor, producer and educator Wanda Whiteside it becomes clear why she chose the name Live Garra Theatre, with its mission to 'illuminate all facets of a multicultural society and to preserve the unique legacy of the African American heritage.'” - L. Traiger
"The Window King"
A Brooklyn Village Songbook
Book by Bless ji Jaja
A Brooklyn Village Songbook
Book by Bless ji Jaja
Welcome to Live Garra Theatre!
OUR VISION/MISSION
“Coming of Age” reflects the emergence of identity through voice—one story at a time. Our vision is to strengthen human connections, revering the visibility of self in a vastly distinctive society. Our mission is to provide a safe space for artistic growth and storytelling that empowers individuals from all backgrounds. Live Garra Theatre uplifts these voices through social engagement and the preservation of stories which leads to greater harmony and a shared celebration of our humanity.
OUR CORE VALUES
Live Garra Theatre is committed to nurturing an environment grounded in mutual respect, dignity, and non-discrimination. We uphold the principle of treating others as we wish to be treated. The Company supports the exchange of authentic experiences and promotes awareness, compassion, and collaboration among its board, artists, staff, and audience. We also value the free expression of ideas and welcome all perspectives throughout the organization. "Garra" means perseverance.
OUR QUINTESSENCE
Live Garra Theatre, based at the Silver Spring Black Box Theatre, serves as a studio and incubator for performers and artists. As a member of the Theatre Consortium of Silver Spring, we convene poets, playwrights, and multidisciplinary artists through productions, readings, seminars, and workshops. We aim to enrich the community, elevate underserved voices, and advance social justice through transformative arts programming across the DMV.
Why Our Lives Matter ...
“Coming of Age” reflects the emergence of identity through voice—one story at a time. Our vision is to strengthen human connections, revering the visibility of self in a vastly distinctive society. Our mission is to provide a safe space for artistic growth and storytelling that empowers individuals from all backgrounds. Live Garra Theatre uplifts these voices through social engagement and the preservation of stories which leads to greater harmony and a shared celebration of our humanity.
OUR CORE VALUES
Live Garra Theatre is committed to nurturing an environment grounded in mutual respect, dignity, and non-discrimination. We uphold the principle of treating others as we wish to be treated. The Company supports the exchange of authentic experiences and promotes awareness, compassion, and collaboration among its board, artists, staff, and audience. We also value the free expression of ideas and welcome all perspectives throughout the organization. "Garra" means perseverance.
OUR QUINTESSENCE
Live Garra Theatre, based at the Silver Spring Black Box Theatre, serves as a studio and incubator for performers and artists. As a member of the Theatre Consortium of Silver Spring, we convene poets, playwrights, and multidisciplinary artists through productions, readings, seminars, and workshops. We aim to enrich the community, elevate underserved voices, and advance social justice through transformative arts programming across the DMV.
Why Our Lives Matter ...
“If you get tired, keep going; if you are scared, keep going… if you want to taste freedom, keep going.” -Harriet Tubman
Supported in part by
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About our Artistic Producer
Dr. Whiteside's award speech as ISI Fellow: Fielding Graduate University
Dr. Whiteside has been conferred with the designation Fellow for Institute for Social Innovation at Fielding Graduate University. As a recipient of the prestigious Dianne Kipnes Social Innovation Award; she will advance her work as a researcher-practitioner, conducting an ongoing workshop series that incorporates Playback Theatre, a performance exercise that invites the audience to participate in the creation of improvised scenes focused on racial bias and issues of marginalization.
Dr. Whiteside trained at the Boston Conservatory of Music, HB Actor's Studio and Usdan Center for the Creative and Performing Arts in New York. She has performed professionally at the Olney Theatre Center, the Arena Stage and the Round House Theatre. She served as a judge for the NAACP ACT-SO competitions and presenter at the University of Maryland Black Theatre Symposium on the state of Black Theatre in America. Dr. Whiteside had a 15-year tenure as a Director/Editor at Discovery Communications, Inc. She and her husband owned and operated the Bonifant Theatre Space in Silver Spring, MD, which served as the Zora Neale Hurston Stage for the DC Black Theatre Festival.
Wanda earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre Arts from Howard University. She holds a Master's of Science degree in Business Management and received her Master’s and Doctorate degree of Education in Leadership for Change, both from Fielding Graduate University. Wanda is currently a faculty member at Montgomery College as an Acting instructor. Dr. Whiteside received an Honorable Citation from the Maryland State House of Delegates for her work with the Silver Spring Town Center, Inc., of which she is a founding member and advisory board member. Dr. Whiteside is a founding member and current ex-officio board member of the Theatre Consortium of Silver Spring, Inc. She was awarded Montgomery’s Best Honoree Community Service award. Dr. Whiteside believes "Artistry is the insatiable desire to be free"-w.
Dr. Whiteside trained at the Boston Conservatory of Music, HB Actor's Studio and Usdan Center for the Creative and Performing Arts in New York. She has performed professionally at the Olney Theatre Center, the Arena Stage and the Round House Theatre. She served as a judge for the NAACP ACT-SO competitions and presenter at the University of Maryland Black Theatre Symposium on the state of Black Theatre in America. Dr. Whiteside had a 15-year tenure as a Director/Editor at Discovery Communications, Inc. She and her husband owned and operated the Bonifant Theatre Space in Silver Spring, MD, which served as the Zora Neale Hurston Stage for the DC Black Theatre Festival.
Wanda earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre Arts from Howard University. She holds a Master's of Science degree in Business Management and received her Master’s and Doctorate degree of Education in Leadership for Change, both from Fielding Graduate University. Wanda is currently a faculty member at Montgomery College as an Acting instructor. Dr. Whiteside received an Honorable Citation from the Maryland State House of Delegates for her work with the Silver Spring Town Center, Inc., of which she is a founding member and advisory board member. Dr. Whiteside is a founding member and current ex-officio board member of the Theatre Consortium of Silver Spring, Inc. She was awarded Montgomery’s Best Honoree Community Service award. Dr. Whiteside believes "Artistry is the insatiable desire to be free"-w.
“Respecting Race and Recognizing Racism through Playback Theatre"
