Identification
Before discussing the topic of pedagogical theater, we need to delve into the origin of the word. As it is evident, the term “pedagogical theater” consists of two words: “theater” and “pedagogical.” The origin of the word “theater” is Greek (théa) and means “to view.” This is logical because theatrical action is based on viewing a specific situation with the prior knowledge that it is not real but rather simulated. As for the word “pedagogy” (payéagogós), it means “child leader.” In the past, this term referred to a servant who supervised and accompanied the children of the nobility, teaching them about life matters and education. From this, the word “teacher” or “educator” evolved.
Pedagogical theater oscillates between the fields of theater and teaching pedagogy. This type of theater focuses on play as a means to bring people from different age groups and social backgrounds together, aiming to familiarize them with the art of theater, enhance their aesthetic skills, and bridge the age and social gaps among the participants. The pedagogical aspect emphasizes building self-confidence, expanding personal expression, and consequently contributing to the holistic development of the individual.
Historical Overview
Historically, the concept of pedagogical theater can be traced back to school theater in general, and amateur and workers’ theater in particular. Initially, the main objective was literary and ethical education for students and workers. However, in the 1930s and 1940s, pedagogical theater activities fell victim to the propaganda of the Nazi regime.
The traditions of educational theater were linked to the post-World War II development phase, but they only emerged in the German Democratic Republic (DDR) as a result of protest movements against dictatorship in the 1960s and the cultural and political demand for a “culture for all.” This led to the revival of methods of educational theater work. Pedagogical theater thus became a means of ideological struggle, aligning itself with the interactive or social theater movement. According to Nickel, this movement is suitable for social learning and enhancing individual independence in analyzing and changing role systems. As an example of the social approach of theater movements in the mid-1970s, we find the “Theater of the Oppressed” by Brazilian Augusto Boal. However, at the same time, there were voices calling for a focus on aesthetic formation under the slogan “we want to give more for playing against reality instead of calling for a better world.” J. Weintz commented on this new direction as follows: “The new model can be summed up in the following: rejecting (exaggerated) educational exploitation of theater and (re)discovering its aesthetic characteristics.”
Meanwhile, W. Stankewitz used the concept of “playful drama,” which combines enjoyable aesthetics with provocative education by utilizing interactive capabilities. In the 1980s, psychodrama was developed as a form of creative therapy based on pedagogical theater as a therapeutic tool.
Private theaters were the first to systematically work with their audience, particularly young people, in the field of theater pedagogy. This was evident in projects such as “Artists in Schools” within the framework of school theater and in the practical artistic preparation of young people as pioneers of theater. Concerned about the next generation of audiences, public theaters followed the lead of private theaters after about ten years and increasingly began to employ theater educators to attract young audiences and maintain the relationship between theater and school.
Today, 40 years after its establishment, the profession of theater educator has not only been established in public theaters but has also expanded to schools, churches, museums, and other institutions. Theater as an artistic subject is now considered on equal footing with visual and musical arts. There is growing recognition that theater enhances aesthetic education, technical and methodological skills, communication and social skills, and creativity. At the same time, economists have also discovered the potential of theater education for further training of employees and personal development of trainees. There is a high demand for pedagogical theater seminars on team training, motivational training, practical skills, public speaking, and body language.
Pedagogical theater is no longer just a supplementary profession in German society; it has become a fundamental profession taught at universities and major art institutes.
The role of pedagogical theater for children and youth
As it is known, play develops an individual’s personality, and this personal development is aligned with the internal needs of each individual and the environment in which they live, such as society, for example. Often, traditional educators try to impart knowledge in a non-critical manner. Sometimes, a child tries to experiment with certain things out of a sense of exploration, curiosity, and experimentation (internal needs). However, the family, teacher, or community suppresses them with words like “shameful,” “forbidden,” or “wrong,” thus presenting a dilemma of conflicting with social norms (the environment). In order to reconcile these conflicting aspects of oneself, the theatrical teacher must consider various points, such as what are the exact criteria for interaction? What does the community expect from the participant? What does my immediate environment expect from me? And what role do I want to fulfill in life? How do I want to present myself to the outside world? All of these are questions that can be discussed in more detail through pedagogical theater. By examining these rules and societal norms and questioning them, social participation is also encouraged through the discussion of various topics. Ideally, topics that address the interests of the participants are selected, which can be understood as political education, but also social participation. The latter is possible because the likelihood of solidarity increases if a person is familiar with a certain topic and has identified the shortcomings in society. For example, a young person who deals with the topic of racism or equality and examines them from different perspectives with the help of theater is more likely to demonstrate solidarity in appropriate situations compared to someone who has not engaged with these topics. This is my hypothesis, which I cannot provide with a scientific basis, but it aligns with my beliefs. Of course, it is not necessary for the approach to be theatrical.
Objectives of Pedagogical theatre
The goals of pedagogical theater are comprehensive education of the individual. This is the place where the concept of education is discussed. Wilhelm von Humboldt explained the concept of education as follows: Comprehensive education means the formation of the human body and psyche. Both interact with each other and cannot be separated. The mere fact that human communication predominantly occurs through body language is evidence of the many indications that show the relationship between the body and the psyche. This is especially true when considering the fact that the body often speaks the truth, which does not always need to be expressed in verbal language.
Pedagogical theater works holistically, teaching participants how to work with the body: how to speak, what my feelings are, what I can express, and how. In addition, I not only learn to recognize my own feelings, but also to read the feelings of others. What is the person thinking, how do they act, and in what different ways can it be interpreted? This can be equated with language lessons, which, among other things, deal with the rules of language in detail in order to use them for text analysis. With the help of written words, it is also possible to learn different ways to interpret a text. So it is not only about experiencing the subject matter (exploring emotions and perspectives, testing them in the play within a collaborative framework), but also about my existential experience.
