Bridging Theatre, School, Business, and Literacy: Discovering Creativity through Theatre Exercises
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Authors
Arena, Jaime M.
Issue Date
2015-04-10
Type
oral_presentation
Language
en_US
Keywords
Method , Marketing , Intention , Theatre
Alternative Title
Abstract
For too long, our careerist focus in elementary school, secondary school, and higher education has marginalized the arts, particularly theatre, suggesting that theatre is non-essential to educational, particularly SUNY, intent. However, recent cross-disciplinary research, such as that presented by Vera & Crossan (2005) in Organization Science, asserts the structure by which principles of improvisational theatre (e.g. collaboration, agreeing-accepting-adding, being present in the moment) help those in business rethinking team work. Further Richards (2012) in International Journal Of Market Research writes about using creative (theatre-based) workshops as data-generation research tools to discover things about the way consumers behave, in order to rethink marketing . Additionally, through improv and acting, we have the means to bridge students to active reading, to fight tangible trends toward lower literacy. My past work with children, and my current research into adapting and applying theatre theory, as well as methodology, to business models will background my presentation of a few exercises in improvisation and articulating intentionality, so that attendees will leave with a recognition of the enhancement theatre exercises bring to (a) active listening, (b) attentiveness to/awareness of one’s surroundings and what is taking place in them. Attendees will also leave with specific verbal and physical exercises/tools with which to ignite imagination, remove inhibitions to creative thinking, and bridge business with the arts.