Student Theatre

Why teach theatre? Theatre skills can and will be used throughout students’ lives, whether they take to the stage or not. Someday a student may become a successful star of stage and screen, but more likely, the classroom is filled with young people who will become active, informed, and empathetic audience members.

They may use their improvisation skills to handle problems on a job or provide positive service to a challenging customer. They may make presentations to a board of directors or need to give an announcement in front of a large group of people. OR, someday, they may read and tell tales to their own children, using animated voices and sound effects to enliven the stories.

WHY TEACH THEATRE IN OUR SCHOOLS?

Theatre is a SCIENCE.

Theatre is MATHEMATICAL.

Theatre is a FOREIGN LANGUAGE.

Theatre is HISTORY.

Theatre is PHYSICAL EDUCATION.

Theatre is LANGUAGE ARTS.

Theatre is BUSINESS.

Theatre is TECHNOLOGY.

Theatre is ECONOMICS.

Theatre is taught in schools

Not because you are expected to major in theatre,

Not because you are expected to perform all through life,

Not so you can relax,

Not so you can have fun,

But

So you will recognize BEAUTY,

So you will be SENSITIVE,

So you will be closer to an INFINITE BEYOND THIS WORLD,

So you will have more LOVE,

More COMPASSION,

More GENTLENESS,

More GOOD,

In short,

More LIFE.

Of what value will it be to make a prosperous living unless you know how to live?

That is why theatre is taught in our schools.

http://upstagereview.org/ClassroomArticles/whyteach.pdf