Toward a Process Theatre Erin Joy Schmidt (bio) The "performance" is arguably the basis for the medium of theatre. It is what we work toward, anticipate, and discuss with endless fervor. But does the very concept actually stifle learning, artistic expression, and growth? As a director and professor of theatre for the last thirteen years, I have watched the performance become the knave from which we cannot turn away; the devil, not so much in the details, but in the atmospheric layer that hangs over every classroom I have ever taught in, every play I have ever directed. I will admit that it is nearly impossible to get away from—theatre is, after all, a result-orientated art form. We wait for the Friday edition of the New York Times to read Ben Brantley's reviews because we are looking for a result: Is it good or bad? Hideous or transcendent? For the student actor, such judgment likely affects their choices and ability to take risks. The character develops throughout rehearsals, then the performance is upon them and all too often, development or deepening is stunted. Creativity of character ceases as the curtain begins to rise. Is this just an inevitability of our academic theatrical process, or can a simple shift in mindset change the way in which young actors think about creating characters? I have spent the better part of the last few years in the classroom trying to find this out. In this note, I lay out my discoveries in the hopes that other theatre practitioners may ascertain some fresh ideas about creating a more process-driven theatre for students. First, some context regarding my pedagogical shift. In the fall of 2015, I was working at an academic institution that asked its faculty to read a book by psychologist and Stanford University professor Carol Dweck titled Mindset: The New Psychology of Success. More than thirty years ago, she and her colleagues at Stanford were studying the learning strategies of students and their attitudes toward and inability to deal with failure, perceived failures, or even incompletion while learning new material. Some of the students used setbacks in their learning as motivators and were able to grow, adjust, and ultimately advance toward greater success. But a majority of the students were stunted by these stumbling blocks, unable to move forward. Dweck and her colleagues began to categorize these two mindsets as either a "fixed mindset" or a "growth mindset." The students with the fixed mindset seemed to believe that their setbacks were an indication that they could not attain any higher achievement in that area, so they did not put any additional effort into moving forward because of a belief it would be fruitless. Those with a growth mindset took a very different path; they were able to rebound and often believed they could grow and achieve something higher if they worked harder and took clues from the setback to move them forward. Almost always, the extra effort led to further enlightenment or even goal achievement. Dweck's team then began to wonder if there was a way to change mindsets. Like righting a ship, could a simple shift in outlook and attitude change the learning trajectory for a student and fundamentally influence their lifelong learning and success? I was shocked by the profound effect this book had on me overall, but particularly how it made me question my teaching process. After reading Mindset and thinking deeper about the concept of a growth mindset and the possibilities it could bring, I saw direct correlations between the perceived "failures" of student actors and a fixed mindset; especially their inability to move past those perceptions to dig deeper and create a more fully realized character or to participate more fully as an [End Page 235] ensemble when working on a play. I started to think about the parameters that I was putting on these young artists that might be preventing them from the continued exploration and deepening of their artistic work. I began to search for ways that I might be fostering their fixed mindsets; I looked at the exercises, texts, and even the language that I was using in the classroom...
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Aug 1, 2019
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