Benefits of Theater

Research reveals the positive impact of drama and theater on a student’s physical, emotional, social and cognitive development.

 Self Confidence: Taking risks in workshops and performing for an audience teach students to trust their ideas and abilities. The confidence gained in drama applies to school, career and life.
 Imagination: Making creative choices, thinking of new ideas and interpreting familiar material in new ways are essential to theater and developing a creative mind.
 Empathy: Acting roles from different situations, time periods and cultures promotes compassion and tolerance for others’ feelings and viewpoints.
 Cooperation/Collaboration: Theater combines the creative ideas and abilities of its participants. This process includes discussing, negotiating, rehearsing and performing together, all of which are important and applicable life skills.
 Concentration: Playing, practicing and performing develop a sustained focus of mind, body and voice, which also helps in other school subjects and life.
 Communication Skills: Theater enhances verbal and nonverbal communication. It improves voice projection, articulation of words, and fluency with language. It also encourages listening skills.
 Problem Solving: Students learn how to communicate the who, what, where and why to the audience. Improvisation fosters quick-thinking solutions, which leads to greater adaptability in life.
 Fun: Theater brings play, humor and laughter to learning, which improves motivation and reduces stress.
 Emotional Outlet: Pretend play and theater games allow students to express a range of emotions. Aggression and tension can be released in a safe, controlled environment, reducing antisocial behaviors.
 Relaxation: Many theater activities reduce stress by releasing mental, physical and emotional tension.
 Self – Discipline: The process of moving from ideas to actions to performances teaches the value of practice and perseverance. Theater games and creative movement improve self-control.
 Trust: The social interaction and risk taking in theater develop trust in self, others and the process.
 Physical Fitness: Movement in theater improves flexibility, coordination, balance and control.
 Memory: Rehearsing and performing words, movements and cues strengthen the memory like a muscle.



Copyright 2005 J. Basom (Adapted)