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Process Drama

The following explanation and examples are taken from Planning Process Drama, by Pamela Bowell and Brian S. Heap. Their book provides a more detailed explanation of both the rationale and process.

What is process drama? "Whereas in some other theatrical genres the meaning is made by the theatrical ensemble of actors, playwright, director and designers and communicated to a watching audience; in the genre of process drama the participants, together with the teacher, constitute the theatrical ensemble and engage in drama to make the meaning for themselves." (p. 7)

In process drama, students and teacher explore some aspect of the human condition, contextualizing learning. Process drama is a useful way to engage students in learning because "Drama engages children on a cognitive, kinaesthetic and emotional level." (p. 28).

Process drama has whole-group improvisation at its heart.

There are six principles to implementing a process drama. They are:

1. Theme/Learning Area: Drama must be about something, have content and focus. A particular aspect of the human condition will be under examination in process drama.

2. Context: In order to explore the theme, a dramatic context must be developed. The dramatic context provides fictional circumstances in which to explore the theme.

3. Roles: All students and the teacher must assume roles in the drama. Students take essentially the same role.

4. Frame: Frame describes the 'tension-giver' - providing the means by which competing forces in the drama are introduced.

5. Sign: An intricate system of signs, including objects, sounds, language, gestures and images combine to give significance to the events of the drama and draw attention to them.

6. Strategies: Drama hinges on three sets of contrasts - silence and sound, stillness and movement, and darkness and light. Strategies are ways of working based on performance forms which bring the drama into life.
 

Selecting the dramatic context: There is a wide range of possibility for dramatic context to explore
any theme. The following are possible dramatic contexts for exploring the theme "How the Anglo
Saxons responded to the Viking invasion."

Place Time Period Event Roles
Holy Island Viking times the Viking landing Anglo-Saxon monks
on Holy Island
mainland village Viking times preparing to repel invaders Anglo-Saxon villagers
monastery Medieval times chronicling Viking invasion Medieval monks
village modern times commemorating defense of
village		 modern day village
community committee
film studio modern times making a film about the
invasion		 film production company
archeological site modern times excavating site of battle archeologists
museum modern times setting up living museum
display		 curators

Example: The following example of a process drama was used with a group of 11-13 year
old Jamaican children.

General area of inquiry Evolution
   
Specific Theme selected Creation theory versus evolution theory - why does a tension exist between those who hold different views about the origins of life on earth?
   
Dramatic context selected Present day Jamaican law firm preparing to defend a client
   
Pupils roles junior lawyers
   
Teacher's role Head of law firm
   
Frame Need to meet a deadline to present evidence for the official hearing
   
Sign Brief from client, law books, documents, file
   
Possible Strategies:

Approximately 20-40 strategies will be used per drama. Strategies will be made specific depending on the theme, roles, frame, etc.

For detailed explanations of these strategies and examples of their use within specific process dramas, see Planning Process Drama

 Brainstorming in and out of role
Captioning in photographs
Mime
Narration
Ceremony
Defining the space
Drawing in role
Folk forms
Group sculpting
Group still image
Individual still image
Maps and diagrams
Marking the moment
Meeting
Pictogram
Pair work
Reading images
Ritual
Slow motion
Small group playmaking
Sound effects
Storytelling
Teacher-in-role
Thought-tracking
Whole-group improvisation
Writing in role