Dramatherapy and Social Theatre: Necessary Dialogues

Dramatherapy and Social Theatre: Necessary Dialogues considers the nature of drama, theatre and dramatherapy, examining how dramatherapy has evolved over the past decade and how the relationship between dramatherapy and social theatre has developed as a result.

In this book Sue Jennings brings together international dramatherapists and theatre practitioners to challenge, clarify, describe and debate some of the theoretical and practical issues in dramatherapy and social theatre. Contributors cover topics including:


dramatherapy in communities
ground rules and definitions
cross-cultural perspectives
dramatherapy with adoptive and foster families
research with professional actors.


Dramatherapy and Social Theatre is illustrated throughout with case vignettes providing examples of how theatre and therapeutic processes can be brought together. It will be valuable reading for both professionals and students involved in dramatherapy and theatre studies.

Jennings, Prologue: Escape Unto Myself: Personal Experience and Public Performance. Part I: Dramatherapy and Social Theatre: A Debate of Ground Rules and Definitions. Tselikas, Social Theatre: An Exercise in Trusting the Art. Seymour, Dramatherapy and Social Theatre: A Question of Boundaries. Schininà, Like Ham in a Temperance Hotel: Healing, Participation, and Education in Social Theatre. Thompson, Aapo! Nathiye: Respecting Silence and the Performances of Not-telling. Bernardi, On the Dramatherapy of Communities. Part II: Theatre, Social Theatre and Change: An Exploration of Texts and Contexts. Schutzman, What a Riot! Casson, Seventeenth Century Theatre Therapy: Six Jacobean Healing Plays. Pitruzzella, Theatre and Therapy: A Necessary Dialogue. Magill, Marquis-Muradaz, The Making of Mickey B, A Modern Adaptation of Macbeth Filmed in a Maximum Security Prison in Northern Ireland. Chabukswar, Making, Breaking, and Making Again: Theatre in Search of Healing in India. Part III: Social Theatre, Politics and Change: A Development of Cross-cultural Perspectives. Hickson, Social Theatre: A Theatre of Empowerment to Address Bullying in Schools. Barham, Social Theatre. Vidrih, The Only Thing Better Than Playing on Stage is Playing at the Heart of Life. Valente, From Education Through Art to Social Theatre: A Personal Story from a Portuguese Point of View. Brathwaite, Trinidad’s Camboulay Street Dance-play and the Carnivalesque Placebo: A Neurotheological Interface Between Social Theatre and Post-Traumatic Slave Syndrome. Part IV: Dramatherapy and Social Theatre in Practice: Descriptions of What We Actually Do. Okumoto, Using an Art Form for Mutual Understanding and Reconciliation in East Asia: A Drama Project, "Ho’o Pono Pono: Pax Pacifica". Somers, Drama and Well-being: Narrative Theory and the Use of Interactive Theatre in Raising Mental Health Awareness. Moore, Theatre of Attachment: Dramatherapy with Adoptive and Foster Families. Raileanu, The Puppet that Felt a Breeze of its Own Energy: Applied Social Theatre in the Field of Sexuality in Moldova. Evans, Ackerman, Tripp, Where Professional Actors are Too "Good": The RAP (Respect and Protect) Project. Grainger, Epilogue: Talking to Actors.