TIE — Theatre - in - Education

In the traditional sense Theatre-in-Education (TIE) is the practice of theatre with young people or community groups to explore various issues, themes and ideas. The term is also broadly used to express any type of theatre developed by and through skilled theatre artists, placed in an educational setting. More and more the definition of an educational setting has broadened to include settings at the community level through professional theatre companies and various community groups. Skilled actors, directors, playwrights—indeed any skilled theatre practitioner could be hired and trained to help these community groups explore subjects ranging from themes or concepts in professional theatre company productions to social and political issues currently facing any given community.

These TIE workshops can be used in a variety of theatrical endeavors. Theatre teachers may incorporate these ideas and activities into both the process and product of their practice. These workshops will serve not only the quality of the end product, but will also enrich the journey towards that end product by nurturing and encouraging the creativity of all artists involved along the way. These workshops also focus on social change and non-arts based subject learning. Where traditional methods aren't always the key to success, TIE can often open the door to investigation, questioning and often transformation. Participants are allowed to view a subject or an issue through first-hand experience, by stepping into role, and thus shed new or different light onto previously unexplored and explored areas.

Before The Crucible — by Liz Lund

Goal: To introduce the political and historical background that led to the writing of The Crucible. This includes the fear of Communism in the 50s and 60s, the House Un-American Activities Committee, and the Salem Witch Trials.

Audience: High school junior English class that is about to begin studying Arthur Miller's The Crucible. They need to be introduced to the historical background that the play was written in, as well as the historical background the play was based on. They also need to get excited about what was in the play, and what is going to happen.

Body Imagining — by Wynn Cannon

A piece about how we look at ourselves physically...body image and our perceptions of ourselves.

Creating Characters — by Meg Moffat

This workshop can be used in any setting for creating characters such as acting, creative writing or playwriting.

Fitting In — by Carolyn Pedersen

Target Audience: Since I am interested in using techniques of theater to teach high school ESL students, my target audience for this workshop will be an Advanced ESL class, grades 11-12.  I think that it is important for students who are trying to learn another language to have different means of gaining knowledge and practicing communication without having traditional language instruction.  Also, for students who most likely are culturally and linguistically different than many of their peers, I feel that "fitting in" would be an important area to explore.  The workshop below is only part of a unit which further explores "fitting in" and how to address other social issues that teens face.

Forum Theatre — by Will McAllister

Theatre of the Oppressed: Minority Job Search with Sneetches: Before beginning the activities, I would explain to my group that we are of a minority population in a small town. We have been working for five days already in preparation for the presentation of a Forum theatre piece that we are performing tonight. We will start with a few warm-up activities, and then perform a short Forum piece.

Individuality — by Sarah Sanchez

Using composition to highlight importance of individuality. 7th and 8th grade drama students who will be performing a play based on the theme of uniqueness. This is the second or third session. The group has already gotten to know each other a little.

Showing; Not Telling — by Hilary Hansen

This workshop will use activities from Anne Bogart, Augusto Boal, and Viola Spolin to help beginning theatre students (secondary education) better understand how to create a character through showing not telling.

Storytelling: Trust, Imagination, Fun — by Jeff Simpson

For my TIE workshop, my audience was a sixth grade class working on a storytelling unit. We assumed that we, the class, had met before; the class was already somewhat familiar and comfortable with the games and exercises presented. My main objectives/goals for this workshop were to create an atmosphere of trust, imagination, and fun. Overall, I believe by the end of the workshop, each student: felt comfortable in front of their peers; explored his/her imagination; learned more about story structure; worked well with others to arrive at a storytelling destination.

Teaching Language Arts Skills Through Drama — by Karla Huntsman

LESSON OBJECTIVE: Participants will demonstrate understanding of how to use theatre skills to teach basic language skills through participation in a variety of theatre activities.

The Hocus Pocus of Focus and Spatial Awareness — by Content Maxwell

Objective: Participants/students will learn how to have more stage awareness by becoming more aware of space and focus through various activities, discovery learning, and reflection. Students will demonstrate what they have learned about space, focus, and awareness by utilizing the techniques in an improvisational miming scene at the end of class. Students will also written in Learning Reflection Log.

Working with the Deaf — by Meagan Wright

Objective:

To expose hearing parents to theories and reasoning behind using American Sign Language with their deaf child.

Targeted Audience: Hearing parents with deaf child/children