Inclusivity Articles for Drama Teachers

Improv is meant to be a fun and creative way to express oneself in the drama classroom. It’s a great way to “try on” a wide variety of characters and situations in a fast-paced, low-stakes...

Inclusion is about what happens every day in your classroom. It goes beyond visibility (which is still incredibly important!). Your choices, your leadership, the materials you share with the class,...

As we start putting together this summer's reading list, how about diving into some amazing plays that celebrate gender diversity and inclusivity? There's a whole world of stories out there just...

Sensory-friendly, or “relaxed” performances of theatrical shows, are becoming more prevalent and popular for theatre-goers. A relaxed performance is where the theatrical atmosphere is adapted to...

There is a lot of talk about what teachers should be doing to create inclusive classrooms for LGBTQ+ students. But the amount of information and resources available can be overwhelming. Where do...

The Theatrefolk 2021–2022 Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Advisory Panel shares its thoughts on LGBTQ+ inclusive questions for your beginning of the year survey. What strategies do you use to get to...

The Theatrefolk 2021–2022 Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Advisory Panel shares its thoughts on non-gendered honorifics and group greetings. “Every time I addressed a group I was directing, I always...

The Theatrefolk 2021–2022 Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Advisory Panel shares its thoughts on pronouns. “I grew up with a mom and two sisters. There was a lot of female power. Growing up with that...

Our 2020-2021 Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Advisory Panel shares some thoughts on using BIPOC material (like the monologues in the BIPOC Voices and Perspectives Monologue Resource) in the...

In 2021, you would think we’d be at a point where inclusivity and acceptance are the norm. However, LGBTQ+ students are still frequently the victims of bullying, harassment, and discrimination, and...

Casting a show, or even a class reading, is a tricky business. It takes care and thought to find just the right person to fill each role. As the song “I Hope I Get It” from A Chorus Line says, “How...

Respect and inclusivity are vital in the drama classroom. One way to demonstrate respect and inclusivity is to use students’ personal pronouns correctly. How does a person wish to be referred to in...

What does it mean to focus on “ensemble thinking”? Ensemble thinking focuses on a whole-show mentality. Rather than an “us versus them” mentality for leading actors versus ensemble/chorus members,...

In education, inclusion refers to students with disabilities or special needs (whether their needs are medical, mental, physical, or psychological) spending most or all of their class time with...

As drama educators, we have the opportunity to instill a love and appreciation of theatre for all students. Teen Plays for Inclusive Classrooms by Dara Murphy is a fantastic resource for classrooms...

“Special needs” is a broad term that describes individuals who require assistance for disabilities that may be medical, mental, or psychological. Every student with special needs is different, and...

There is no more class that is more divergent than the drama classroom. You have the vast number of different students who end up in your classroom, some who want to be there and some who don’t....

Drama Teacher Podcast.Scott Giessler is a teacher and a playwright. He went into theatre teaching without any training. Not only is he still doing it, but he has a strong philosophy for how to do...