Drama Therapy - Conscious and Creative Healing

Abstract

In Chapter X of Plato's Republic, he describes the theatre as a barrier that blocks individuals from truth and knowledge. As a dramaturg, my life's work is based on the belief that theatre is a platform in which the truth about the human condition is expressed, through fictional characters and stories. As a theatre artist, I believe in the transformative aspect of theatre. As I contemplated Plato's theory, I thought about individuals who are suffering from severe psychopathologies, such as schizophrenia. These individuals live in their own unique realities. Could theatre be used as a way of showing these individuals' truth, and if so, would it be therapeutic for them? These questions lead me to my thesis question: can participating in and observing the creative process of theatre bring out an individual's ideal truth? This thesis discusses theatre history and theory that begin to discover and explore the therapeutic and transformative aspects of theatre, which led to the creation of drama therapy. I also discuss four current approaches in drama therapy. Through the exploration of theatre and drama therapy, I am most certain that participating in and observing the creative process of theatre brings out an individual's ideal truth.