Personal stories in applied theatre contexts: redefining the blurred lines.

Personal stories have been utilised in a variety of ways in Applied Theatre practices. The author problematises their use when the teller's safety is at stake within a given context. Inspired by neuro-anatomist Jill Bolte-Taylor's process of enlightenment through observing her stroke from the inside out, the author uses her personal experience of sharing and staging her narrative to ask questions of ethics, representation, autonomy, and agency for the teller; all of which are intrinsic elements necessary to an ethical approach to community-based theatre practices. A number of other projects and reflections by various practitioners are mentioned in this article to examine the different progressive stages inherent in relaying and staging personal narratives. This paper concludes with proposing protocols to help the teller glean the benefits of empowerment through sharing and staging their personal narrative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]