The Performing Arts for Social Change

In today’s world, theatre is increasingly defined as a commercial enterprise. This course will examine the use of theatre for social change, examining its practice, theory, role, and production. Discussions will include approaches to using theatre for creating personal and social change and the key elements of successful projects from creative process to performance to organization to impact. Interactive class sessions will include participation in a creative process involving community building, team building, conflict resolution, social analysis, and scene creation. Each student will be expected to develop a coherent theory of change, construct a viable performing arts-based project “blueprint,” and participate in a community event created from the creative process. Students will also visit one Saturday rehearsal of the City at Peace project in New York City, a nonprofit organization using the performing arts to empower teenagers to transform their lives and communities. This class meets once a week.