About the Book
The new edition of Playbuilding as Arts-Based Research details how playbuilding (creating an original performative work with a group) as a methodology has developed in qualitative research over the last 15 years.
The second edition substantially updates the award-winning first edition by making connections to current research theories, providing complete scripts with URL links to videos, and including a new section with interviews with colleagues. Chapter 1 provides an in-depth discussion of the epistemological, ontological, axiological, aesthetic, and pedagogic stances that playbuilding takes, applying them to research in general. The value of a playful, trusting atmosphere; choices of style, casting, set, and location in representing the data; and pedagogical theories that guide participatory theatre are highlighted. Chapter 2 discusses how Mirror Theatre generates data, structures dramatic scenes, and conducts live and virtual participatory workshops. Chapter 3 is a thematized account of interviews with 23 colleagues who employ variations of playbuilding that show how playbuilding can be applied in a wide range of contemporary contexts and disciplines. Chapters 4 through 9 describe six projects that address topics of drinking choices and mental health issues on campus, person-centred care, homelessness, the transition to university, and co-op placements. They include both a theme and a style analyses and workshop ideas. Chapter 10, new to this edition, concludes with quantitative and qualitative data from audiences attesting to the efficacy of this approach.
This is a fascinating resource for qualitative researchers, applied theatre practitioners, drama teachers, and those interested in social justice, who will appreciate how the book adeptly blends theory and practice, providing exemplars for their own projects.
Table of Contents:
Preface – Situating Ourselves 1. Underpinning Philosophies and Guiding Principles 2. Mirror Theatre’s Performance Processes 3. The State of the Art 4. Drinking Choices 5. Person-Centred Care 6. Challenging the Myths: Stories from the Outside and from the Inside of a Women’s Shelter 7. Mental Health Conversation Starters 8. Decisions, Decisions: aka University 101 9. Entrances and Exits: Addressing Possible Interpersonal Issues in Co-op Placements 10. Determining Our Efficacy and Impact; Appendix 1.1 Parental Consent Appendix 1.2 Membership Agreement Appendix 1.3 Back Cover Appendix 1.4 Jokering PCC Appendix 2.1 Charades Appendix 2.2 Say Name “As if...” Appendix 2.3 Playlists Appendix 2.4 Retention Outline: AHS First Year Student Focus Groups Appendix 2.5 Drinking Choices Cases Appendix 3.1 D/A/R/Tor Questionnaire Appendix 8.1 Retention Outline: AHS First Year Student Focus Groups Appendix 10.1 Audience Questionnaire Appendix 10.2 A/R/Tor Questionnaire
About the Author :
Joe Norris, Professor Emeritus, Brock University, Canada, is the recipient of the 2015 Tom Barone Award for Distinguished Contributions to Arts Based Educational Research from the Arts Based Educational Research SIG of the American Educational Research Association.
Kevin Hobbs, a PhD student at Western University, Canada, received the 2019 ARTS Graduate Research Award from the Canadian Society for the Study of Education’s Arts SIG.
Mirror Theatre is a participatory theatre company that works in educational and community settings to advance our understanding of social issues through storytelling and improvisation. It is volunteer driven and run by theatre professionals, students, and scholars in education, health care, research, and applied theatre. See www.mirrortheatre.ca.
Review :
"I was a huge fan of the first edition of Playbuilding as Qualitative Research, and the highly anticipated second edition does not disappoint. As Norris and Hobbs detail in the preface, the landscape of arts-based research has changed dramatically in recent years. Accordingly, this new edition includes major updates not limited to attention to aesthetics, pedagogy, epistemology, ontology, and axiology, as well as updated robust exemplars. This book is a must-read for students and practitioners interested in creative approaches to research. Highly recommended." -- Patricia Leavy, Ph.D., award-winning author of Re/Invention: Methods of Social Fiction
"In drama, education, and theatre, there are great books on practice and great books on research. This book does the unusual thing of being a great book that mixes research and practice - it is in essence a praxis book that seamlessly interweaves both and so will be useful to practitioners and researchers." -- Michael Anderson, Co-Director CREATE Centre, Sydney School of Education and Social Work
"Norris and Hobbs provide qualitative researchers exemplar models and pragmatic guidance for the development of original arts-based research utilizing the conventions of improvisational drama, devised work, playwriting, formal theatrical production, and digital video. This expanded second edition of the original award-winning book now includes complete scripts from Mirror Theatre’s inventive and socially-driven plays with accompanying video links and supplemental notes on their creation and reception. Substantial qualitative testimony and quantitative data in the concluding chapter support the efficacy of these innovative approaches for presenting and representing the human condition through artistic shapes. Playbuilding substantially contributes to the practice of arts-based research and the methods literature of qualitative inquiry for the 21st century’s social issues and necessary social change." -- Johnny Saldaña, Professor Emeritus, Arizona State University, USA
"Playbuilding's evolution is brilliantly chronicled in this second edition, highlighting its powerful influence and acceptance in academia. This is a vital guide for researchers, educators, and practitioners in qualitative inquiry, offering insights into Mirror Theatre's impact on participants' reflections, behavior, and personal growth. A must-read to more fully understand how arts integrated research transforms lives." -- Pauline Sameshima, Lakehead University Professor & Royal Society of Canada College Member
"As a person who loves the theatre, and theatre in education, I found this book to be an absolute sparkling gem! We see deep inside the playbuilding processes of two seasoned D/A/R/Tors [directors, actors, researchers, and teachers] as they share insights, processes, and provocative vignettes of transformative plays. Every stage of their processes is collaborative, involving not just the two authors but also many others in the process. Everyone is recognized making playbuilding a participatory form of artistry, research, teaching, and learning, celebrated by many. Yet, the book doesn’t stop there. With extensive research across the field of playbuilding, the authors situate their work alongside others, giving clarity to the extraordinary contributions playbuilding offers. The book concludes with an impressive review on the impact of this work on audiences. This is a must have resource book for actors, researchers, and educators, who want to experiment and expand their practice, hoping to create their own sparkling gem!" -- Rita L. Irwin, Distinguished University Scholar and Professor, Art Education, The University of British Columbia, Canada
