Kimberly DAgnese

April 19, 2015

DRAMATHERAPY
THEATRE & ASD

Main Points
Theatre, by itself, is considered
highly therapeutic and
cathartic. When combined
with modern therapies, it can
create amazing environments
in which students feel
completely safe in order to
explore themselves, their
environments and others.

Theatre Therapies
In general, these are the most
common theatre therapies
used today:
Improvisation: Encourages
creativity, self esteem, self
expression and self awareness
Puppetry: Externalizes the
students problems, becomes a
physical symbol that they can
put away when needed.
Clowning: More for
immediate therapy, the clown
represents a fool, and in his
inability to take care of himself
we find him relatable.

Theatre as Therapy
Theatre has been a main source for catharsis and release since
ancient Grecian times. The act of playing provides a safe
environment for its participants, letting them shed their
limitations and explore new stories, experiences, people and
problems. In a way, it provides an invisibility cloak of sorts, in
that we feel safe while participating because were not being
ourselves - were being a completely made up person, whether
theyre similar to ourselves or not. Its also an abstract way of
exploring these ideas, challenging (and stretching) a persons
imagination and cognitive abilities. $

For students with Autism,

Shakespeare seems to be the
key to introducing them to
theatre.

Theatre & ASD

Kimberly DAgnese

April 19, 2015

Autism and Other Disabilities in Theatre!

How does theatre help?

Its an inclusive playful
atmosphere in which
students can experiment
with new or familiar
situations. In general, the
practice of theatre
promotes:
Self-awareness
Confidence
Creativity
Improvisation
Tactics/Objectives
Non-verbal/pantomime

Amazingly, theatre also

has an impact on our
bodies as well. When
students are pretending
to be someone else, they
usually physically relax,
thus lowering cortisol
levels - which control
stress.

Theatre & ASD

In addition to theatre being therapeutic for absolutely anyone

(from people with autism, to those with mental illnesses, to
people who just want to explore themselves), it has also recently
become a main platform for awareness for certain disabilities.
Plays such as The Other Room and The Curious Incident of the Dog in
the Nighttime are wonderful examples of works that feature main
characters with autism. The Pulitzer Prize winning musical Next
to Normal sheds light on neurosis, bipolar disorder and
schizophrenia, and the epidemic of over-medication in this
country. These are just some of tens and hundreds of works both
in the theatre and art that provide an insight into the minds and
lives of those who experience disabilities as part of their everyday
life, and can be a great lesson for anyone who sees them.$

Theatre Development Fund

Finally, the Theatre Development Fund in New York City has
partnered with Autism Speaks to create the Autism Theatre
Initiative, to provide autism-friendly performances of popular
broadway shows. Past participating shows include Disneys The
Lion King, Mary Poppins, Aladdin, and most recently, The Curious
Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime became the first play to
present an autism-friendly performance. These performances
tone down many of the lighting and sound cues in the shows,
making sure that audience members dont feel overwhelmed or
trapped by sound or light. Additionally, they have hundreds of
volunteers on hand to assist if audience members need a break,
need some down time to sit in some bean bags, or need some on
site therapy. They also have many links and videos on their
website, https://www.tdf.org/nyc/40/Autism-Theatre-Initiative,
for support guides for the participating shows, as well as more
information on their partnership. Some of these supplemental
materials include videos on New York City in the style of social
stories, to help students who maybe would be overwhelmed by
the sounds and sights of the Big Apple. $

!
For more information on the Hunter Heartbeat Method, check
out ShakespearesHeartbeat.com, where you can find more
information on Kelly, her process, and her new book.$
2