Interactive theatre, workplace training tools, employee issue resolution, human resources tools, workplace change

~ Interactive theatre tools to ignite change in the workplace ~


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Programs & Formats

Something New! Activated Scenes:

Activating Scenes are created by small groups of participants from issues and questions that arise from the group's working experience.
The scenes dramatically highlight a workplace scenario which the participants have identified as problematic or challenging.
Activating scenes are not intended to solve specific problems, but they create a valuable opportunity to clarify the specific nature of an issue and to explore possible options.
As a result of even one session of this work, participants are better prepared to return to the workplace and work together toward beneficial solutions.
Built upon recent work by theatre artist and educator Michael Rohd, Activated Scenes offer participants a highly engaged and energized interactive training experience.
Maine General Hospital
"The group greatly enjoyed working with Kym and David on Activating Scenes! Short Fuse is wonderful at what they do…creating a unique and fun approach to confronting difficult work issues and providing new pathways for participants to effectively resolve these issues."

Janice Cohen, Principal, Cohen Leadership Consulting
Congestive Heart Failure Program - York Hospital
15 Hospital Drive, York, ME 03909
janice@cohenleadership.com

"Stress Management"

Short Fuse has developed Stress Management workshops for Healthcare professionals! These have been offered through York Hospital, (testimonial below), and Springbrook Center in Westbrook.
The sessions are engaging and hands-on, yet quick (45 minutes - 1 hour) specific to the healthcare field, and very affordable.
Much of the material is based on the work of Jim Loehr & Tony Schwartz, The Power of Full Engagement, and Robert K. Cooper, Ph.D, author of High Energy Living.
Director Kym Dakin has recently completed the Worksite Wellness Certification program through Southern Maine Wellness Council.
York Hospital
"The Short Fuse Stress Management program was fabulous! Kym wove together the informational content with some storytelling and theatre techniques that made the participants feel engaged and stimulated. I have heard wonderful comments from the staff. Along with the practical, easy to implement suggestions she gave, they really enjoyed it and it made them feel special. I highly recommend Short Fuse to other Healthcare facilities!"
Anne Borden, MPH RN
Congestive Heart Failure Program - York Hospital
15 Hospital Drive, York, ME 03909
ABorden@yorkhospital.com

Springbrook Healthcare and Rehab
"Kym Dakin's stress management work shops at Springbrook Healthcare and Rehab are just what the doctor ordered! She gets participants to share their experience with an approach that elicits trust and honest engagement. She provided our staff with the knowledge to combat stress with her many practical tips and proactive tools. Her upbeat approach to teaching/facilitating sets a positive tone which makes participants immediately feel relaxed and ready to learn. Kym gets employees to look at their own role in creating stress and what they can do about it. Everyone without fail benefited from her in-services and she has the distinction of providing the best in-service we ever had according to staff! I attended her in-service and have incorporated some her strategies into my work day. I thank Kym for helping me be more relaxed and productive!"
Shelly Hayden R.N. BSN - Admissions Director

"Challenges in the Workplace"

We develop customized scenes depicting details and behaviors exclusive to your workplace, and lead facilitated discussions.

Content will be tailored to your specifications.

You have final script approval and will be invited to attend a rehearsal as well.

We provide all small props and costumes.

Pierce Atwood: Violence in the Workplace Conference
"The reviews we received have been terrific, and a number of them single out Short Fuse as the distinguishing feature. Clearly, the effectiveness of using drama as a training tool in this manner has been confirmed by the response to this program."
James R. Erwin - Partner
JErwin@PierceAtwood.com

"He Said/She Said"

Especially effective for Sexual Harassment/Hostile Workplace issues.

One problematic situation—depicted twice from his/her point of view with facilitated audience discussion.

Can your employees spot the discrepancies and potential pitfalls?

U.S. Postal Service
"Short Fuse was an integral part of our efforts to highlight the many subtle issues involved in sexual harassment situations. Many of our employees praised their accurate portrayal of an everyday workplace and its issues, and commented on how much they enjoyed getting training in this format. I definitely recommend Short Fuse for training opportunities in the future."
Michael J. Donahue - Manager, Human Resources

"Customer Focus: The Experiential Training Package"

Give your employees a chance to work those new customer service skills on us.

We portray a range of problematic customers and offer an experiential curriculum of performance training for effective interaction.

We create experiential games and exercises to lead your employees towards more effective communications with the public (typically two performers/facilitators) .

We depict behaviors encountered by your front line sales force or human resource professionals.

Content will be tailored to your specifications and you have final script approval.

"I see and I understand, I do and I learn."

Lamprey Brothers: Customer Focus Training
"I want to offer my sincerest appreciation for the wonderful work that Short Fuse did in our Customer Focus training. I was truly impressed with their skill and ability to pull such a comprehensive program together in such a small window of time. The program was conducted several weeks ago and I am still receiving positive feedback from our staff members, which indicates the value of an interactive program of this nature."
Thomas Williams - Director of Sales & Marketing
williamt@maine.rr.com

Gentle Giant Moving Company – Boston, MA
“We truly enjoyed having the chance to work with Short Fuse during our training sessions. I really appreciate the time and energy they spent creating a truly unique and personal learning experience for so many of us at Gentle Giant. I've had the chance to chat with a number of folks who attended the sessions, and they've all expressed real appreciation for the learning, growth, laughs, and overall experience. I'm pretty confident that the guys look at their roles a bit differently today than prior to the program. I believe that group has a firmer appreciation for their responsibility as a leader, as a "Giant" –

Ryan Falvey, VP Organizational Development
Gentle Giant Moving Co.
RFalvey@GentleGiant.com

"The Problematic Public"

Got a customer you just can't please? A repeat client no one wants to deal with?

Short Fuse performers recreate these customers/clients so your employees can practice dealing with them in a learning environment.

You know the behaviors you want your workers to employ....we provide the opportunity for experiential learning.

Ingraham - Legal Services for the Elderly: Staff Training
"This group was an invaluable addition to our organization's training event. Short Fuse captured our client's personalities and situations with uncanny accuracy. They helped us understand the way our clients do, and sometimes do not, hear our advice. Smart and accomplished, the performances were not only detailed and nuanced, they were also extremely entertaining and educational. I could not recommend Short Fuse more highly. They are a complete pleasure to work with, and prove that training can be fun."
Amy E. Kurtz - Legal Services for the Elderly
amyelizabeth227@msn.com

"Depends on your P.O.V."

Applicable to many instances, particularly Communication/Diversity and Leadership issues.

We depict systemic problems from different angles and their effects on management to front line employees.

Facilitated discussion gets the issues on the table. Let's talk about it!

Coastal Enterprises, Inc.
"Short Fuse is a phenomenal visual sensation! Real life social conflict situations involve the audience so we better understand, at the gut level, what social discrimination feels like..."
Lisa G. Martin - Small Business Consultant

*Something New! Activated Scenes:* Activating Scenes are created by small groups of participants from issues and questions that arise from the group's working experience. The scenes dramatically highlight a workplace scenario which the participants have identified as problematic or challenging. Activating scenes are not intended to solve specific problems, but they create a valuable opportunity to clarify the specific nature of an issue and to explore possible options. As a result of even one session of this work, participants are better prepared to return to the workplace and work together toward beneficial solutions. Built upon recent work by theatre artist and educator Michael Rohd, Activated Scenes offer participants a highly engaged and energized interactive training experience. Maine General Hospital "The group greatly enjoyed working with Kym and David on Activating Scenes! Short Fuse is wonderful at what they do…creating a unique and fun approach to confronting difficult work issues and providing new pathways for participants to effectively resolve these issues." Janice Cohen, Principal, Cohen Leadership Consulting Congestive Heart Failure Program - York Hospital 15 Hospital Drive, York, ME 03909 janice@cohenleadership.com
*"Stress Management"* Short Fuse has developed Stress Management workshops for Healthcare professionals! These have been offered through York Hospital, (testimonial below), and Springbrook Center in Westbrook. The sessions are engaging and hands-on, yet quick (45 minutes - 1 hour) specific to the healthcare field, and very affordable. Much of the material is based on the work of Jim Loehr & Tony Schwartz, The Power of Full Engagement, and Robert K. Cooper, Ph.D, author of High Energy Living. Director Kym Dakin has recently completed the Worksite Wellness Certification program through Southern Maine Wellness Council. York Hospital "The Short Fuse Stress Management program was fabulous! Kym wove together the informational content with some storytelling and theatre techniques that made the participants feel engaged and stimulated. I have heard wonderful comments from the staff. Along with the practical, easy to implement suggestions she gave, they really enjoyed it and it made them feel special. I highly recommend Short Fuse to other Healthcare facilities!" Anne Borden, MPH RN Congestive Heart Failure Program - York Hospital 15 Hospital Drive, York, ME 03909 ABorden@yorkhospital.com Springbrook Healthcare and Rehab "Kym Dakin's stress management work shops at Springbrook Healthcare and Rehab are just what the doctor ordered! She gets participants to share their experience with an approach that elicits trust and honest engagement. She provided our staff with the knowledge to combat stress with her many practical tips and proactive tools. Her upbeat approach to teaching/facilitating sets a positive tone which makes participants immediately feel relaxed and ready to learn. Kym gets employees to look at their own role in creating stress and what they can do about it. Everyone without fail benefited from her in-services and she has the distinction of providing the best in-service we ever had according to staff! I attended her in-service and have incorporated some her strategies into my work day. I thank Kym for helping me be more relaxed and productive!" Shelly Hayden R.N. BSN - Admissions Director
*"Challenges in the Workplace"* We develop customized scenes depicting details and behaviors exclusive to your workplace, and lead facilitated discussions. Content will be tailored to your specifications. You have final script approval and will be invited to attend a rehearsal as well. We provide all small props and costumes. Pierce Atwood: Violence in the Workplace Conference "The reviews we received have been terrific, and a number of them single out Short Fuse as the distinguishing feature. Clearly, the effectiveness of using drama as a training tool in this manner has been confirmed by the response to this program." James R. Erwin - Partner JErwin@PierceAtwood.com
*"He Said/She Said"* Especially effective for Sexual Harassment/Hostile Workplace issues. One problematic situation—depicted twice from his/her point of view with facilitated audience discussion. Can your employees spot the discrepancies and potential pitfalls? U.S. Postal Service "Short Fuse was an integral part of our efforts to highlight the many subtle issues involved in sexual harassment situations. Many of our employees praised their accurate portrayal of an everyday workplace and its issues, and commented on how much they enjoyed getting training in this format. I definitely recommend Short Fuse for training opportunities in the future." Michael J. Donahue - Manager, Human Resources
*"Customer Focus: The Experiential Training Package"* Give your employees a chance to work those new customer service skills on us. We portray a range of problematic customers and offer an experiential curriculum of performance training for effective interaction. We create experiential games and exercises to lead your employees towards more effective communications with the public (typically two performers/facilitators) . We depict behaviors encountered by your front line sales force or human resource professionals. Content will be tailored to your specifications and you have final script approval. "I see and I understand, I do and I learn." Lamprey Brothers: Customer Focus Training "I want to offer my sincerest appreciation for the wonderful work that Short Fuse did in our Customer Focus training. I was truly impressed with their skill and ability to pull such a comprehensive program together in such a small window of time. The program was conducted several weeks ago and I am still receiving positive feedback from our staff members, which indicates the value of an interactive program of this nature." Thomas Williams - Director of Sales & Marketing williamt@maine.rr.com Gentle Giant Moving Company – Boston, MA “We truly enjoyed having the chance to work with Short Fuse during our training sessions. I really appreciate the time and energy they spent creating a truly unique and personal learning experience for so many of us at Gentle Giant. I've had the chance to chat with a number of folks who attended the sessions, and they've all expressed real appreciation for the learning, growth, laughs, and overall experience. I'm pretty confident that the guys look at their roles a bit differently today than prior to the program. I believe that group has a firmer appreciation for their responsibility as a leader, as a "Giant" – Ryan Falvey, VP Organizational Development Gentle Giant Moving Co. RFalvey@GentleGiant.com
*"The Problematic Public"* Got a customer you just can't please? A repeat client no one wants to deal with? Short Fuse performers recreate these customers/clients so your employees can practice dealing with them in a learning environment. You know the behaviors you want your workers to employ....we provide the opportunity for experiential learning. Ingraham - Legal Services for the Elderly: Staff Training "This group was an invaluable addition to our organization's training event. Short Fuse captured our client's personalities and situations with uncanny accuracy. They helped us understand the way our clients do, and sometimes do not, hear our advice. Smart and accomplished, the performances were not only detailed and nuanced, they were also extremely entertaining and educational. I could not recommend Short Fuse more highly. They are a complete pleasure to work with, and prove that training can be fun." Amy E. Kurtz - Legal Services for the Elderly amyelizabeth227@msn.com
*"Depends on your P.O.V."* Applicable to many instances, particularly Communication/Diversity and Leadership issues. We depict systemic problems from different angles and their effects on management to front line employees. Facilitated discussion gets the issues on the table. Let's talk about it! Coastal Enterprises, Inc. "Short Fuse is a phenomenal visual sensation! Real life social conflict situations involve the audience so we better understand, at the gut level, what social discrimination feels like..." Lisa G. Martin - Small Business Consultant

Fees: Contact Kym Dakin at kdakin@maine.rr.com or 207-846-4729

Negotiable rates for Public Schools and Non-Profit Organizations

Home Programs/Formats About Us Testimonials What's New?

For more information, contact:
Kym Dakin
kdakin@maine.rr.com
207-846-4729