A strong willingness to communicate (WTC) in a second language is associated with successful language learning. ESL learners with high levels of WTC will seek opportunities to interact in meaningful communication in English. Engagement in meaningful communication is necessary for language learning as it increases access to comprehensible input, promotes negotiation of meaning, and pushes the learner to produce accurate output. By enhancing instructors' understanding of factors that impact students' WTC (e.g., confidence, affect, motivation, and the context of communication), instructors may be better prepared to nurture their students' WTC and expedite their English language acquisition. Because drama-based approaches (DBAs) for teaching English have been found to cultivate a safe learning environment and increase learners' confidence, positive affect, and motivation, these approaches also have considerable potential to improve learners' WTC. Although DBAs may be underutilized in English for academic purposes programs, they are particularly beneficial for students who are hesitant to participate in communicative classroom activities. We review literature on WTC and DBAs, and then incorporate key findings from the literature to guide the development of dramatized role-plays that can foster students' WTC and lead to improvements in students' linguistic and general academic skills.