To the Syllabus and Beyond

Abstract

This chapter focuses on making theatre with young people and involves a research-based discussion around the personal, social, and artistic outcomes of theatre-making with young people in relation to the ensemble-based negotiation of self-representation. We interrogate young people’s theatrical learning and consider how they experience the dynamic collaborative process of devising in schools. We examine participatory theatre practices with young people in Australian schools, particularly in the state of New South Wales (NSW), where devising theatre is a core component of the formal drama curriculum. Our chapter centres around the ways in which young people make theatre that matters to them in troubled times and how theatre-making activates and develops their sense of agency and voice. Concepts such as creative play, creative risk, and embodiment will be examined in relation to collective creation of theatre-making in educational contexts.