Playback Theatre is a form of interactive performance and community engagement created in 1975 in the Mid Hudson Valley of New York, and now practiced in 70 countries in a wide range of contexts. Teams of actors and musicians listen to stories told by audience members then act them out without script, score, or rehearsal, building dialogue and connection.

PERSONAL STORIES IN PUBLIC SPACES: Essays on Playback Theatre by Its Founders gathers together, for the first time in one place, key essays, articles, talks, and reminiscences by Playback Theatre's founders, Jonathan Fox and Jo Salas. Covering a body of work that spans almost five decades and locations from war zones to great cities, this anthology takes the reader on a journey from the earliest days of Playback Theatre to the present day, and includes several essays written specifically for this collection.