Deepening the theatre experience for young audiences: Mapping the aims and impact of extended performance engagement

Abstract

Theatre for Young Audiences (TYA) commonly uses engagement practices to extend the theatrical experience for children and adults before and/or after a theatrical event. These are often referred to as wrap-around activities and are ancillary to the performance, which is considered the main part of the event. In this thesis I name and define these activities as extended performance engagement (EPE), examining their value as an integral part of the entire theatrical event and after. The EPE practices I focus on are commonly used by TYA organisations and include pre-performance workshops, teacher resource guides, question and answer sessions, lobby displays, and post-performance workshops. However, there is limited evidence about how and why arts practitioners and primary school teachers use EPE to engage child audiences before and after performance and what impact these practices have. Many have written about the value of theatre for young audiences, however few focus on the aims, practical use, and assessment of these engagement activities. Additionally, there is limited research on who is responsible for creating and facilitating these activities and which arts education policies support their use. Therefore, this thesis argues that a better understanding of what types of EPE exist, how the activities are created, how they are used, and who creates them is necessary to better understand their overall impact. This thesis names and defines EPE practices before, during, and after a global pandemic and deepens understanding of the potential, use, value, and future capacity of this form of engagement across the TYA field. I first provide case studies of current EPE practices from a range of TYA organisations located in Ireland, the USA, and the UK. I then respond to the Irish policy which addresses EPE and the array of roles that create and facilitate EPE in schools and theatres. In the research I report on a practice-based study in which I created and facilitated EPE in an Irish primary school, interviews with teachers and children involved in the field work, and the findings from an international online survey directed at TYA arts practitioners. The results of this study demonstrate the value of EPE from the perspective of children in Ireland, teachers in Ireland, and international arts practitioners, both before, during, and after the pandemic as a way for young audiences to make meaning out of a theatre event. Analysis of the field work data suggests that extended post-performance drama sessions in an Irish primary school led to children strengthening relationships among peers, had the potential to provide opportunities for the students to use their voices and imagination, exposed children to new forms of drama and theatre, and helped students build their confidence. The data suggests that the success of EPE relies on clear communication of goals and a commitment by both the facilitator and classroom teacher to be present and engaged during the partnership. The survey data reveals the disparate connector roles responsible for making EPE happen as well as varying, and some nonexistent, assessment methods for EPE, and the reality that the pandemic made EPE more visible while maintaining relationships between theatres and their audiences at a time when it was not possible to attend live TYA performances. The research communicates the multiple modes of extending engagement surrounding a performance which draw from TYA, Drama in Education, and Theatre in Education: three methodologies that, when drawn from have the potential to more clearly define the impact of EPE for children to connect with others, take on the role of artist, and make deeper meaning out of a theatrical event. This study provides evidence that EPE is essential to the continued personal and professional growth of TYA organisations, primary school teachers, and students. The thesis claims that the connector role which bridges the gap between arts organisations and schools can unify the varying practices of EPE. The research then provides cohesive evidence for arts practitioners and policymakers arguing for more resources to be dedicated to this area of practice to better understand its impact.