This paper describes a high school theatre program's project in which Anna Deavere Smith's documentary theatre work serves as the foundation for play-building for students. Research in theatre arts supports the use of play-building as a way to explore major themes of relevance to students. However, there is little research addressing documentary…

A number of studies of the effects of drama on individuals' cognitive and affective characteristics have been carried out recently. These studies revealed that drama had positive impact on students' development of communication skills, socialization levels, development of emotional intelligence, social skills, empathic skills and empathic…