Theatre As a Teaching Tool: Examining Theatre’S Past, Present, and Future Roles in Education

Theatre as a Teaching Tool: Examining Theatre’s Past, Present, and Future Roles in Education Kelley Siart Advisor: Javier Rivera 19 March 2012 Siart 2 Honors Capstone Abstract Theatre as a Teaching Tool: Examining Theatre’s Past, Present, and Future Roles in Education Abstract: The research for this study examined how theatre has historically been used as a teaching tool, current uses for theatre in education, and future possibilities for theatre’s implementation in the classroom. Historically, theatre has proven an extremely effective means of communication and tool for socialization by instructing members of society on social norms, religious teachings, and introducing new ideologies. Currently, theatre as a formal teaching tool has seen a recession as spending on arts programs has been cut from education budgets. However, studies have shown that participation in theatre has incredible learning benefits, especially for early childhood and elementary education by facilitating play, creative problem solving, and collaborative work. Though most research on theatre’s educational benefits focus on early childhood and elementary education, theatre has also proven effective in secondary and adult learning by creating a space in which adults may exercise themselves both intellectually and emotionally. Ultimately, the wealth of emerging research regarding theatre’s close relationship to learning indicates that future implementation of performance art in classrooms may greatly improve the education system. Siart 3 Theatre as a Teaching Tool: Examining Theatre’s Past, Present, and Future Roles in Education In modern education, the arts have been, more often than not, relegated to a position of unimportance. Though science and math are advocated as important areas of study, the study and use of the arts in the classroom receive very little attention. As the budget money available for education becomes increasingly sparse, the arts are often the first to be sacrificed. Merryl Goldberg, author of Arts and Learning: An Integrated Approach to Teaching and Learning in Multicultural and Multilingual settings, writes, “Historically, the most common form of arts education involves a specialist who teaches about the arts. […] Although this model has served education since the very beginnings of public education in the United States, we see its importance slowly diminishing in direct relation to diminishing educational budgets. The arts, often considered a ‘frill,’ have been cut as the ‘basics’ receive attention,” (Goldberg 5). Unfortunately, this dismissal of the arts as unimportant has had detrimental effects on the United States education system. Even President Barack Obama has noted the important impact of arts education, “[C]hildren who learn music actually do better in math, children whose imaginations are sparked by the arts are more engaged in school,” (Hulbert 1). Obama has also remarked, “Studies in Chicago have demonstrated that test scores improved faster for students enrolled in low-income schools that link arts across the curriculum than scores for students in schools lacking such programs,” (Hulbert 1). Though all arts are important for education, performance art, in particular, has proven itself exceptionally successful as an educational tool. As such an important cultural factor, one must ask what is the impact of theatre’s diminishing role within education. By examining theatre’s role historically as an educating tool, investigating the implications of a lack of theatre in education, and exploring how theatre will be reintroduced into Siart 4 the classroom, theatre’s current and future roles within the United States education system may be established. First, it is important to understand how theatre has historically been used as an educative tool in order to evaluate how it may be used in the future. Though the origins of theatre are much debated, it is believed that theatre is the most innate art form to the human experience. Michael L. Greenwald writes in Stories, Rituals, and Theater: A Foundation for the Theatrical Arts, “Of all the arts, theater is among the oldest and the most instinctive. Though you may have never read or attended a play, you demonstrate an innate theatricality when you embellish your activities with symbolic words and gestures, or with such visual symbols as costumes and decorations,” (Greenwald 3). Theatrical practices are born out of a natural desire to imitate others and the world around us. Greenwald further explains Aristotle’s idea of mimesis, “Aristotle began his famous treatise on theater with the observation that ‘the instinct for imitation is implanted in man from childhood.’ On its simplest level we learn by imitating how others walk, talk, dress, behave, and so on,” (Greenwald 11). Theatre is based on the idea of imitation. Humans use imitation to become properly socialized and to learn new skills. Similarly, theatre uses imitation to communicate ideas and lessons both to the participants and to the audience. Theatre’s use as a formal teaching tool developed further in Ancient Greece. Often thought of as the birthplace of theatre, Greece deftly used theatrical craft to effectively communicate lessons to the public. Theatre during this time advocated the Grecian worldview, “To the Greeks humans were godlike in their unlimited potential for greatness. Indeed, tragedy was devised to remind the Greeks that they were only godlike and not gods themselves,” (Greenwald 110). Greek tragedians used theatre as a forum to educate the masses about the Siart 5 dangers of hubris, or excessive pride by depicting heroic figures that were highly respectable but suffered a major downfall because of their fatal flaw (Greenwald 51). Moreover, theatre became a space for intellectual exercise. Playwrights’ works were informed by political debates, which were an integral part of Greek culture during this time, “Greek dramas, which may have begun as religious affairs, became political events that promoted the general good. Predictably, they are filled with debates such as those between Oedipus and Teiresias or Lysistrata and the Athenian commissioner.” (Greenwald 111). Though entertaining, the primary function of theatre in Ancient Greece was to serve as an educational force within society. Theatre continued to be a powerful teaching tool in Medieval Europe. During a time when the Bible was exclusively printed in Latin, only clergymen—as the only educated individuals—could read the stories and teachings contained within the Bible. As a result, theatre became a useful and practical way in which Christianity could be communicated to the uneducated masses. In his book, Theatre History Explained, Neil Fraser traces the progress of theatre’s educational nature within Medieval Europe, “The development of religious drama followed this trend, the stories of the Bible moving from the voices of the clerics to the voices of the people in a quite logical, but nonetheless extraordinary way and making, as they did so, a journey from a medium of clerically spoken Latin to one of performance acted out in the common speech of the day,” (Fraser 33). Theatrical practices in Medieval Europe began with tropes, which were short passages from the Bible presented in Latin set to music and were performed within the church (Greenwald 410-11). Eventually, vernacular plays (so named because they were performed in the vernacular of the day) developed and were presented outside the church in public locations such as open Siart 6 fields or town squares. These dramas portrayed the biblical cycle from Creation until the Day of Judgment and, as a result became referred to as the Corpus Christi cycles because they were performed with the Feast of Corpus Christi (Greenwald 411). Other, secular, forms of theatre were formed during this time period in order to teach the morals of Christianity. Though these plays had an overtly religious motive, they were considered secular because they were not literally passages from the Bible as the other religious dramas had been, “In addition to the biblical epics, anonymous Christian dramatists also portrayed the dilemmas of ordinary men and women tempted by the world, the flesh, and, of course, the devil. These allegorical works, called morality plays, instructed the faithful in correct behavior,” (Greenwald 411). The lessons of the morality plays and religious dramas were communicated through an easy to understand and entertaining vehicle. Theatre was purposefully, and very successfully, used as an educational tool in Medieval Europe. The Renaissance witnessed a movement away from religious theatre and more towards secular works. First and foremost the Renaissance is characterized by a revival of the classics, “Throughout Europe, and in Italy in particular, a reinterpretation of all things classical took serious hold, and began to influence fine art, literature and drama; the interest in the classical was the spur for what we call the Renaissance,” (Fraser 47). Though theatre was no longer being used to teach religious values and ideas, theatre was still serving as an intellectual and educational space. As Greek texts were being rediscovered and studied, scholars and artists were implementing what they learned through the plays of Ancient Greece into the theatre of the day (Fraser 47-8). Theatre served as an educational tool in a variety of ways during the Renaissance: as a medium for study and revival of the classics, as a space for new innovation and discovery, and as a tool for communicating social norms and beliefs. Siart 7 Though theatre has grown and changed greatly throughout its history, it has continued to play an important educational role within society. As a means of communication and a tool for teaching social, political, and religious ideology, theatre has not only reflected but also helped shaped cultural change. Neil Fraser writes about the emergence of contemporary theatre explaining, “The twentieth century […] saw an enormous diversification of human activity. Political, social, sexual and artistic barriers were questioned, and many broken down. Science moved forward at an ever-increasing pace, and the arts reacted accordingly,” (Fraser 185).

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