Why Educational Theatre

When I was 17, I was conflicted as to whether I wanted to teach or do theatre for the rest of my life. A year later when someone said I could teach theatre, that day changed my life. Now I’m M.A. candidate in Educational Theatre at NYU, and ironically enough, I no longer am interested in teaching in a school setting.

Before you think I’m crazy (which I am, but that’s not the point), I’ve learned in my past few months in the program how there’s so many different types of Educational Theatre, that teaching is only the start of it all! There’s working with kids in theatres, or Theatre for Young Audiences, which is doing theatre for kids, after-school settings, people of all ages in community settings like retirement homes or outreach centers, even working at a correctional institute. The options end only when the imagination does.

Throughout the year thus far (I mean 2012 not the school year), I’ve really figured out that for me, I love activist theatre. Theatre of the Oppressed and Theatre in Education is by far the techniques that work best for me. Nothing makes my heart flutter more when the theatre is utilized to educate, inspire, and empowering people (both part of the show and in the audience) to do what is right for them and the world. The theatre can be the single greatest asset to inform people of what’s going on all over the world. Which shows how magical the theatre can be.

A good example for this, I’m currently assistant directing and stage managing a production of “Waiting for Lefty” by Clifford Odets. The play was written in 1934 and is loosely based off of the taxi cab strike that went on in the early 30’s. The whole point of the amazing life-changing drama, is that you need to stand up and do what’s right for you and your loved ones. It’s meant to be very active in rallying up the audience and making people think. To me, even inspiring one person from this production means it’s a success.

This is also one of my favorite plays of all time, so I love the fact I get to be apart of this production.

Educational Theatre can vary from an entire spectrum of opportunities. Although I’d like to be a teaching artist in theatre’s when I graduate in May, and one day teach at the college level, my heart lies with utilizing theatre to make the world a better place. And I’m in the perfect graduate program to make that happen.