Describes the potential that theater has to exert a positive influence on students' behavior patterns. States that positive educational experiences for African-American children may be achieved through the development of "an alternative frame of reference, positive self-concepts, a Black identity, and a commitment to their people."…

Describes development of a new youth theater in an academic setting meeting the needs of urban youth, while satisfying the very different academic demands of an innovative educational theater teaching program. Describes genesis and development; pedagogical principles underpinning both programs; how this model fosters the growth of a community of…

Describes the author's experiences directing at an interactive health education theater piece on acquaintance rape. Discusses personal and professional challenges and ethical dilemmas that came up regarding Post Traumatic Stress disorder, the activating of traumatic experiences. Argues that input from healthcare professionals was crucial, and…

Describes the development, production, and performance of "Harvest Ceremony: Beyond the Thanksgiving Myth," a museum theatre piece performed annually at the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian's Gustav Heye Center. Notes that the play gives the audience a fresh perspective on the first Thanksgiving from the Native point…

Talks with Dr. Barbara McIntyre, Professor Emeritus, internationally known educator in the field of drama education about her own teacher preparation and early teaching experiences; how teaching in a one room school laid the foundation for her philosophy of drama education; major changes in the field of drama education; children's theatre and…

Describes a 10-week drama production project to create a scripted piece that suits adolescent actors. Notes that there is a scarcity of suitable scripts for middle school performers. Details the process used in the hope that others who face similar frustrations may learn from and adapt it for use in their own educational environments. (SC)

Relates an interview with Jonothan Neelands, author of "Making Sense of Drama,""Learning in Imagined Contexts," and "Structuring Drama Work." Describes the different roles drama and theater can play in the lives of the student and the school, including that of using drama to explore language arts, science, or history. Discusses Neelands' theories…

Synthesizes the central themes from a session on how theatre educators can survive in academia which took place at the 1998 AATE (American Alliance for Theatre and Education) conference. Presents the "Top Ten Suggestions for Surviving in Academia," including the following suggestions: clarify what is expected, to whom faculty are responsible, and…

Describes a theater in Port-of-Spain developed by a recovered drug user and advertising executive to provide a safe and interesting environment for recovering drug users. Discusses the methods used to engage the participants in learning about theater. Offers a chronological recounting of the class and describes participants' reactions to various…

Offers a brief overview of "Curtains Up On Reading," an outreach program of the Dallas Children's Theater that places literature-based drama at the center of the curriculum. Outlines the philosophy, history, and methodology of this unique interdisciplinary language and fine arts curriculum. Describes its application in a five-day model…

Argues that canonical plays must be critically engaged rather than "handed down," with students discovering much about themselves and each other through their own engagement. Describes how a high-school acting class examined the dramatic work of Latino/a playwrights for their in-class scene work, and used student experiences to create their own…