Methods and lessons in theatrical practice as social work

ABSTRACT

Stemming from the combined philosophies of social work and professional artistic practice, this paper recounts five years of working with populations of fifth graders to craft their own original plays. Application of group development theory in our evolving theatrical process emphasizes several lessons, including utilizing a population’s observed need(s) to derive socioemotional purpose; the ownership a group discovers when creating its own material; and the importance of centering what two communities have to offer each other in mutual aid. The 509 classroom at PS3 is a case study for the immense socioemotional impact artistic practice can have when student need is not neglected in favor of academic skill acquisition.

KEYWORDS:

• Teaching artist
• socioemotional purpose
• mutual aid
• applied theater
• rehearsals
• artist-in-residence
• collaboration
• agency

Acknowledgments

I’d like to extend heartfelt thanks to Jack Opel’s co-teachers Alana Stark, Lindsay Giordano, and Anna Rice-Yaffe, who have all contributed so much to Room 509’s theatrical endeavors during my tenure. I’d also like to thank Jack’s mentors, Alan Tung and Beth Rubin, who encouraged Jack and I to be bolder with our aspirations and shared with us their wisdom on writing and mounting classroom plays. Many thanks to Alyssa Goodwin for continuing the NYU student tradition of interning in the 509 classroom after my departure. We are also extremely grateful for Rosemary Quinn, who was instrumental in initiating the Room 509 collaboration with NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and who welcomed the classroom with open arms at the Experimental Theatre Wing. None of this could have been possible without the encouragement and vision of Mary Bitel, who continues to spearhead the collaboration at Tisch-509 and has made a home for Room 509 at Tisch’s Collaborative Arts program. And, of course, a thousand thanks to Jack Opel, who has been a stalwart collaborator and friend.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).