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Background: Crossing Over is a performance based project by First Drop Change Foundation that integrates applied theatre with palliative care narratives. Adapted from stories published by Bangalore Hospice Trust (Karunashraya), the play portrays experiences of terminally ill cancer patients, families, and healthcare teams. Developed in Bangalore, India, it has been staged in hospitals and community venues, with 10 performances to date since October 2022.

Objectives: The objectives were to

1. create compassionate dialogue around death, dying, and caregiving;
2. provide audiences with a reflective space to process emotions connected to illness and loss; and
3. demonstrate the role of theatre as a complementary partner to medical care.

Methods: Three stories were adapted by weaving characters and incidents from multiple chapters of the source text, and a fourth narrative was based on a caregiver’s lived account. Each performance was followed by facilitated Playback Theatre, enabling audiences to share reflections that were enacted within an ethically held framework.

Results: Audience feedback showed strong emotional engagement, openness to discussing death and caregiving, and validation of lived experiences. Stories shared during the Playback Theatre segment reflected strong resonance, personal connection with themes of loss and care, and readiness to speak about difficult experiences. Healthcare participants reported reflection on communication, empathy, and presence.

Conclusion: This oral presentation will show how integration of the arts with medicine can create reflective spaces that support conversation and emotional processing around palliative care. Integrating Playback Theatre offers a structured container for audience responses and highlights the potential of healing arts as a complementary partner to clinical environments.