Artistic Literacy in Action

Abstract

While there is considerable debate over whether drama and theatre contribute to social change, theatre studies programs do a great deal to help students identify social questions and engage in learning moral responsibility. In theatre, civic engagement begins with the dramaturgical explorations of scripts and culminates in the performance of plays. Theatre study is not complete until the plays that are read are performed or experienced in the theatre. The productions (which become case studies that illuminate some facet of human interaction) give a real purpose to learning, and thus the learning is intentional. Theatre activities can elicit transformative experiences and help advance social responsibility by developing informed, empowered, and responsible learners. A theatre program’s high-impact curricular and pedagogical practices develop Liberal Education and America’s Promise (LEAP) essential learning outcomes by encouraging cross-departmental connections, improving problem-solving skills through active rather than passive learning, and enriching cultural understanding and civic responsibility through problem-based inquiry—the study of plays and performances.