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Applied Drama - Community, Participation and Co-Creation Projects

Module description

In this module you will develop an understanding of a range of applied theatre approaches. You will develop your awareness of the appropriate application of drama tools and skills in different settings and explore the role of the facilitator, director, actor, producer, and theatre-maker. You will undertake a group project, which may involve you creating & touring your own performance, or facilitating a creative process for others to participate and perform in. Previous projects have toured co-creation performances, worked with young offenders, young people excluded from school, adults with learning disabilities and others. 

All students on this module will be required to complete a DBS enhanced disclosure.

Module aims - intentions of the module

 The module aims to provide you with the following:

• The opportunity for you to apply your drama skills within non-traditional theatre contexts
• The ability to create appropriate applications of drama in those contexts
• Explore questions and issues raised by the expectations and demands of the role of the applied drama worker

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 1. Demonstrate an advanced understanding of the ways in which drama and theatre can be used to build dialogue with groups in the wider community, in particular with those who experience social exclusion
• 2. Demonstrate a critical awareness of the skills necessary for effective work in the field of applied drama

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 3. Demonstrate the ability to work creatively within a range of community settings and expectations
• 4. Utilise research tools effectively and to translate theory into practice

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 5. Demonstrate confidence in performance skills and public presentation
• 6. Demonstrate the ability to adapt and design working methods for each new situation

Syllabus plan

Whilst the content may vary from year to year, it is envisioned that from the start you will work as part of a small team on a project. This Project is a series of assignments that include

• Researching a community context
• Devising and facilitating an appropriate performance/drama/digital offering
• Implementing it in the community or for that partner/setting
• Project Pitch and individual facilitation: students work in small groups and cover between them a minimum of 3 resources relating to their project setting

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Formative assessment

Summative assessment (% of credit)

Details of summative assessment

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Re-assessment notes

Deferral – if you miss an assessment for certificated reasons judged acceptable by the Mitigation Committee, you will normally be either deferred in the assessment or an extension may be granted. The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of deferral will not be capped and will be treated as it would be if it were your first attempt at the assessment.

Referral – if you have failed the module overall (i.e. a final overall module mark of less than 40%) you will be required to submit a further assessment as necessary. If you are successful on referral, your overall module mark will be capped at 40%.

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

• Baim, C. and Brookes, S and Mountford, A. (2002) The Geese Theatre Handbook: Drama with Offenders and People at Risk , Winchester: Waterside Press.
• Cohen-Cruz, Schutzman (2006) A Boal Companion: Dialogues on theatre and cultural politics, Routledge.
• Diamond, David (2007) Theatre for Living: the art and science of community based dialogue, Trafford Publishing.
• Johnston, C. (1998) House of Games: Making Theatre from Everyday Life, London: Nick Hern Books.
• Nicholson, H. (2005) Applied Drama, the gift of theatre, Palgrave.
• Rohd, M. (1998) Theatre for Community, Conflict and Dialogue: The Hope is Vital Training Manual, Heinemann.
• Taylor, Philip (2003) Applied Theatre: Creative Transformative Encounters in the Community, Heinemann.
• Thompson, James (2003) Applied Theatre: Bewilderment and Beyond, Peter Lang.

Key words search

Applied Drama, Applied Theatre, youth, facilitation, socially engaged, co-creation, community, participation, education