Ritual Theatre is a unique new art form pioneered by Circle of Stones. Ritual Theatre inspires and catalyzes positive community transformations through the theatrical telling of world myths in productions that include audience participation, dance and live music.

Myths are the context of our plays because they use the universal archetypes of pure story. According to director Paul Sills, myths, fairy tales and other stories carry "true teachings which stress the genuine unity of life." They tell of heroes who overcome the impossible, whether it be building a castle in a single night or weaving a room full of straw into gold, with the grace "of helpers they become whole, unified persons who can expect marriage and half the kingdom."

Ritual Theatre integrates myths with fun interactive opportunities for audience participation to enable and inspire communities to undertake the impossible. For example, in our production of The New Earth, Hades and Persephone, Lord and Queen of the Underworld, identified four fears that are preventing humankind to collectively switch to using renewable energy. They engaged in a dynamic martial-arts battle with the fears, accompanied by intense African drumming. During the battle, Persephone and Hades turned to the audience for help in destroying the fears through "the energy generated from the sound of their clapping and the intensity of their focus." The battle climaxed with the exhilarated rhythmic clapping of hundreds of people until the fears were destroyed. Numerous times we've received feedback from audience members after seeing the play, that when they resisted making environmentally friendly choices in their lives, they remembered their experience of that scene and opted for the new behavior that was better for the earth.

Circle of Stones' next production, Gilgamesh, is the guiding force behind the creation of a multi-cultural arts center and green charter school.