The Routledge Companion to Theatre and Young People

This companion interrogates the relationship between theatre and youth from a global perspective, taking in performances and theatre made by, for, and about young people.

These different but interrelated forms of theatre are addressed through four critical themes that underpin the ways in which analysis of contemporary theatre in relation to young people can be framed: political utterances - exploring the varied ways theatre becomes a platform for political utterance as a process of dialogic thinking and critical imagining; critical positioning - examining youth theatre work that navigates the sensitive, dynamic, and complex terrains in which young people live and perform; pedagogic frames - outlining a range of contexts and programmes in which young people learn to make and understand theatre that reflects their artistic capacities and aesthetic strategies; applying performance - discussing a range of projects and companies whose work has been influential in the development of youth theatre within specific contexts.

Providing critical, research-informed, and research-based discussions on the intersection between young people, their representation, and their participation in theatre, this is a landmark text for students, scholars, and practitioners whose work and thinking involves theatre and young people.

Selina Busby is professor of applied and social theatre at The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. Her research and practice focuses on theatre that invites the possibility of change. She is a researcher who uses participatory and emancipatory research methods with people living in adverse conditions, both in the UK and internationally. Recent publications include Applied Theatre: A Pedagogy of Utopia (2021).

Kelly Freebody is an associate professor in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at the University of Sydney. Her research focuses on drama, applied theatre, social justice, creativity in education, and school-community relationships. Her teaching interests include drama pedagogy and critical perspectives in education. She is co-editor of the Applied Theatre Research Journal, and co-editor of the Routledge Learning Through Theatre series.

Charlene Rajendran is an associate professor at the National Institute of Education - Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. She is a theatre educator, researcher, and dramaturg whose interests include contemporary performance, play-based pedagogy, and arts leadership. She is currently the co-director of the Asian Dramaturgs’ Network.