National Interactive Theatre Troupe
Founded in 1989, the National Interactive Theatre Troupe (NITT) is the first interactive theatre troupe in Jordan and one of the defining initiatives of the NCCA Theatre Department. Since its establishment, the troupe has used theatre as a space for participation, reflection, and dialogue, bringing audiences into direct conversation with the social themes presented on stage.
NITT combines Theatre-in-Education methods developed by drama practitioners and educators in the United Kingdom with Augusto Boal’s Forum Theatre approach from Brazil. This combination gives the troupe its distinctive character: performances are carefully created, but the audience is invited to become part of the thinking process around the story.
The troupe is composed of professional performers and trainers who produce plays dealing with contemporary socio-economic development issues. Each play is devised through research to address a specific issue, meet clear goals, and speak to a defined age group or audience.
”NITT turns performance into dialogue, and dialogue into an opportunity for awareness, participation, and change.“
Theatre for Dialogue
NITT performances often follow characters who face difficult life situations, conflicting values, or choices that may change the course of their lives. Through these stories, audiences are invited to look closely at social pressures, personal responsibility, and the impact of attitudes and decisions on individuals and communities.
The facilitator plays a central role in the performance model. Acting as the bridge between the audience and the actors in role, the facilitator guides spontaneous discussion and encourages audience members to engage with the subject of the play. Forms of participation can include depictions, simulation, stage pictures, and role playing.
This is what makes NITT distinctive. A performance does not end when the final scene is over. It continues through questions, responses, and shared analysis. Audiences are encouraged to speak from their own experience, consider alternatives, and take part in the meaning of the event.
Themes and Repertoire
NITT’s productions address social issues connected to contemporary challenges. Topics have included gender equality, conflict resolution, democracy and human rights, intergenerational dialogue, early marriage, reproductive health and rights, gender-based violence, women’s empowerment in the workforce, and preventing and combating violent extremism.
Its repertoire includes plays such as “Memoirs of a Woman”, “Rising to the Pits”, “Gaza Monologues”, “Stop”, “Balance”, “Intersection”, “Ghazil Al Banat” (Cotton Candy), “Paintings on the Wall”, “To Be or Not To Be”, “Mish 3aib” (Not Shameful), “Full Stop … Begin a New Line!”, “Light”, “Bus Stop”, and “The Weakest Link”.
These productions show how NITT uses theatre to approach sensitive issues with creativity and care. The goal is not to give simple answers, but to open a space where audiences can examine attitudes, perceptions, and possible choices.
Reach and Impact
NITT tours nationally and internationally, performing in theatres, schools, community-based organizations, refugee camps, and rural areas. Through this work, the troupe reaches approximately 100,000 beneficiaries annually.
Internationally, NITT has performed in the United States, Greece, Sweden, Japan, France, Turkey, Tunisia, Morocco, Egypt, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and Lebanon. This wide reach reflects the strength of interactive theatre as a method that can speak across cultures while remaining grounded in lived experience.
Why It Matters
NITT is one of the clearest expressions of theatre as a public space for learning and reflection. It helps audiences approach complex issues through story, performance, and participation rather than through direct instruction alone.
For many participants, the experience offers more than a performance. It offers a chance to listen, question, and discover that their voices matter. This is especially important in educational and community contexts, where theatre can help people practice communication, empathy, critical thinking, and active citizenship.
More than three decades after its founding, the National Interactive Theatre Troupe remains an important model for using performance as a living social practice. It continues to demonstrate that theatre can help people listen, participate, and imagine change together.
