Contemplations on the Importance of Theatre Arts in Education...
March 31, 2012
I must believe that everyone understands, at some level, the organic if not critical need for an arts education; that everyone realizes that every discipline is, in some way, related to or rooted in the arts, including English, history, science, and, yes, even mathematics. If it were not for the arts and the survival of art from various cultures, I believe we would not know some of what we know about these fields of study today. So, as I contemplate the positive effects of theatre work on my students—who have ranged from young to old, from rich to poor, from stable to troubled, and from convicts to the simply curious—I hope, in some way, that I will dispel the erroneous notion that theatre arts (including dramatic and technical experiences) are an unnecessary luxury in the world of education. I will begin with the issue of academic value.
On too many occasions, I face the astonishing realization that many folks hold the notion that theatre work is not “academic.” Nothing, and I do mean nothing, could be further from the truth. I (and I imagine, all serious teachers of drama) attempt to choose material for my students that is both challenging and relevant to our world—pieces that require some knowledge of history, and certainly pieces that offer linguistic stimulation and challenge; pieces that demand that a student examine the language for rhetoric, compositional style, verse, dialect, and conventions of vernacular in a given period or geographic location. Often, within the text of a play, there are clues to the customs of a particular culture, or the issues people faced that led to social change, rebellion, or war. At the beginning of every rehearsal process, my students and I spend time doing textual analysis of the script with which we’re working. Then, when a rhythm has been established, we continue this analysis throughout the blocking process, stopping whenever necessary to examine and discuss the text. We look for meaning and purpose, for embedded stage directions, for clues to achieve an effective and accurate character analysis, and for the emotional and psychological impact the words might have upon both performers and audience members when they are delivered in the manner in which the playwright intended. In other words, communications, psychology, English, history, and sociology are all part of a theatre experience.
Then, there are the sciences, history, and math. I realize that most scientists, historians, and mathematicians have not been around when a theatre designer is creating a set or a crew is constructing it, but be assured, these disciplines find their way into theatre arts, as well. Accurate measurements, engineering, actor-negotiable slopes and angles, audience sight lines, the physics of structure strength, durability, lighting, electricity, sound engineering—these are all part of the big picture. Historical accuracy in set design, costume, and properties requires research. A responsible director requires responsible research. Research leads the researcher to facts about specific cultures. Research is academic. There are more and a broader range of academics in a well-produced theatrical production than most people can name. There can be little argument that a student’s theatrical experience is an academic endeavor, as well as an exercise in building communication skills, creative thinking, and collaboration—all skills we are told are the supporting tripod of 21st Century learning and living.
I must believe that everyone understands, at some level, the organic if not critical need for an arts education; that everyone realizes that every discipline is, in some way, related to or rooted in the arts, including English, history, science, and, yes, even mathematics. If it were not for the arts and the survival of art from various cultures, I believe we would not know some of what we know about these fields of study today. So, as I contemplate the positive effects of theatre work on my students—who have ranged from young to old, from rich to poor, from stable to troubled, and from convicts to the simply curious—I hope, in some way, that I will dispel the erroneous notion that theatre arts (including dramatic and technical experiences) are an unnecessary luxury in the world of education. I will begin with the issue of academic value.
On too many occasions, I face the astonishing realization that many folks hold the notion that theatre work is not “academic.” Nothing, and I do mean nothing, could be further from the truth. I (and I imagine, all serious teachers of drama) attempt to choose material for my students that is both challenging and relevant to our world—pieces that require some knowledge of history, and certainly pieces that offer linguistic stimulation and challenge; pieces that demand that a student examine the language for rhetoric, compositional style, verse, dialect, and conventions of vernacular in a given period or geographic location. Often, within the text of a play, there are clues to the customs of a particular culture, or the issues people faced that led to social change, rebellion, or war. At the beginning of every rehearsal process, my students and I spend time doing textual analysis of the script with which we’re working. Then, when a rhythm has been established, we continue this analysis throughout the blocking process, stopping whenever necessary to examine and discuss the text. We look for meaning and purpose, for embedded stage directions, for clues to achieve an effective and accurate character analysis, and for the emotional and psychological impact the words might have upon both performers and audience members when they are delivered in the manner in which the playwright intended. In other words, communications, psychology, English, history, and sociology are all part of a theatre experience.
Then, there are the sciences, history, and math. I realize that most scientists, historians, and mathematicians have not been around when a theatre designer is creating a set or a crew is constructing it, but be assured, these disciplines find their way into theatre arts, as well. Accurate measurements, engineering, actor-negotiable slopes and angles, audience sight lines, the physics of structure strength, durability, lighting, electricity, sound engineering—these are all part of the big picture. Historical accuracy in set design, costume, and properties requires research. A responsible director requires responsible research. Research leads the researcher to facts about specific cultures. Research is academic. There are more and a broader range of academics in a well-produced theatrical production than most people can name. There can be little argument that a student’s theatrical experience is an academic endeavor, as well as an exercise in building communication skills, creative thinking, and collaboration—all skills we are told are the supporting tripod of 21st Century learning and living.