Embodied Practice in Educational Theatre: Perspectives on Social Transformation from Urban Classrooms and Prison Settings

This book explores embodied teaching practices through applied and physical theatre, drawing extensively on the author’s rich experience teaching in diverse urban environments, including schools, colleges and prison settings.

It presents a groundbreaking conceptualization of embodied practice aimed at fostering personal and social growth through educational theatre. Each chapter delves into theories of social transformation, supported by qualitative data from student reflections, to provide both theoretical and practical insights. These insights illustrate how physicalized pedagogy can be effectively used to engage students with socially transformative ideas and identities. It also emphasizes the significant role of the facilitator in this process, highlighting how they can create an environment that fosters ethical and multicultural awareness in both formal educational settings, such as classrooms, and informal settings, like community workshops. By promoting an ethos of inclusivity and ethical consideration, it argues that facilitators can help students navigate and engage with complex social issues through the medium of theatre.

An accessible and compelling text, it aims to inspire educators to adopt innovative methods that promote deeper engagement and understanding among students.

Nancy Smithner is Clinical Associate Professor of Educational Theatre, New York University, Steinhardt School of Culture, Education and Human Development, USA.