Unconventional Team Building: Underrated Plays Perfect for Coworkers
When searching for team-building activities, most offices default to escape rooms, bowling, or trust falls. While these can be fun, they rarely foster the deep, nuanced conversations that truly connect colleagues. Theater offers a unique, visceral experience that allows teams to see the human condition, ethical dilemmas, and communication styles in action. Stepping away from the boardroom and into the theater encourages empathy and creative thinking. Here are several underrated plays that are perfect for fostering conversation among coworkers, offering sharp insights into the modern workplace.
“The Aliens” by Annie Baker: Understanding Quiet Collaboration
Annie Baker is known for her quiet, intense character studies, and The Aliens is a masterful exploration of friendship, grief, and the beauty of doing nothing together. Set behind a coffee shop, the play centers on two young, somewhat adrift men who hang out and talk, eventually involving a younger, more conventional student. This play is exceptional for encouraging coworkers to step outside the frantic, high-productivity mindset and appreciate the value of quiet, personal connection. It challenges the assumption that constant, high-energy interaction is the only way to build a team. It teaches that listening and simply being present for one another is as valuable as any brainstorm session.
“The Flick” by Annie Baker: Navigating Professional Misalignment
Another, perhaps more direct, masterpiece by Baker, The Flick takes place entirely in a small, failing movie theater. The play focuses on the three employees tasked with cleaning up after screenings, focusing on their interpersonal dynamics, insecurities, and the slow unraveling of their relationships. It is a brilliant, subtle exploration of workplace dynamics, class, and the hidden anxieties that employees often bring to the office. It offers a fascinating, slow-burn look at how trust is built and broken in a professional environment, and it is a perfect prompt for discussing interpersonal communication and the importance of professional boundaries.
“The Last Days of Judas Iscariot” by Stephen Adly Guirgis: Tackling Difficult Discussions
For teams that need to work on navigating contentious issues or practicing respectful debate, The Last Days of Judas Iscariot is unmatched. Set in a courtroom in purgatory, this high-energy, fast-paced play explores the idea of forgiveness, accountability, and the complexities of human nature. It is funny, chaotic, and intellectually demanding. The play encourages coworkers to look at all sides of a problem and to understand that complex situations often have no easy answers. It is excellent for strengthening critical thinking and creating a culture where diverse perspectives are welcomed and debated respectfully.
“Office Hour” by Julia Cho: Fostering Empathy and Communication
Office Hour is a poignant, tense drama that takes place in a college professor’s office during office hours. A professor, Gina, tries to connect with one of her most difficult and withdrawn students, Dennis, whose writing is disturbing and whose demeanor is aggressive. This play is a fantastic choice for teams who are looking to improve their empathetic listening and conflict resolution skills. It highlights the importance of looking past a colleague’s surface-level behavior to understand the person behind it. The play teaches that communication often requires breaking through our own fears and prejudices, a vital skill for fostering a supportive, empathetic workplace culture.
“The Language Archive” by Julia Cho: The Art of Clear Communication
In a world where miscommunication can lead to projects failing and morale plummeting, The Language Archive is a whimsical, profound exploration of how we express our deepest feelings and why we sometimes fail to do so. The play is about a linguist who can document any language but struggles to communicate with his own wife. It’s a beautifully surreal story that reminds coworkers to be more attentive to, and patient with, one another. The play focuses on the idea that communication is not just about the words we choose, but about the intent, empathy, and care behind them.
Choosing to attend a play as a team is an investment in human connection, offering a shared, reflective experience that can significantly enhance workplace relationships. These plays move beyond conventional team building by providing a rich, cultural experience that encourages empathy, deeper listening, and, perhaps most importantly, a shared sense of wonder. Taking the time to explore these stories together will provide lasting memories and a new, more thoughtful language for communication, proving that sometimes, the best office lessons are found on the stage.
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