Theatre-in-Education

Applied Drama is an umbrella term for the wider use of drama practice in a specific social context and environment. This practice doesn't have to take place in a conventional theatre space. It can be shared with, or created for, a specific audience, making them the starting point and the driving force for what is often a personal based exploration.
Applied Drama can be a therapeutic medium, using narrative and both real or imagined story as a tool to examine shared experiences through a dramatic framework. It uses symbols, role play and improvisational theatre to allow us a point of entry into the 'self', and as a vehicle for exploring the relationship between knowledge and action.
What the audience perceives and contributes categorises the very nature of Applied Drama, for example, Theatre in Education (TIE), Drama in Education (DIE), Community Drama, Drama in Healthcare (such as Clown Care), and Prison Theatre. It requires the participants to be willing, truthful and honest, tapping into feelings to provoke responses and sometimes to encourage change. Unlike conventional classroom-based or theoretical learning, Theatre-in-Education works by tapping into an audience's emotions ensuring total engagement. Professional actors use challenging and highly charged theatre to simulate authentic real-life scenarios, featuring familiar situations and easily recognisable characters. Theatre-In-Education programmes include workshops that establish coping strategies for each individual, ensuring they are better informed and better prepared. This is so effective as it enables the benefit of hindsight; when individuals are faced with similar situations in real-life they are already equipped with the knowledge and have the tools to overcome barriers.