- Worcester State University News - https://news.worcester.edu -

Kramer Co-Publishes Book on Inclusive Theater and Learning

Once a year, students from the May Street School sit excitedly in Fuller Theater waiting for the play to open. This play, though, isn’t a main stage production. It is the outcome of the course Theatre for Young Audiences, where students in Worcester Public Schools Transition Program stage a play with Worcester State University students.

The TYA course applies techniques for using theatre in inclusive ways, making it accessible for students who may not have access to the arts.

The course was developed by Lisa Kramer (Visual and Performing Arts) and the transition rehabilitation specialist at Worcester Public Schools, Judy Freedman Fask.

What the two educators learned from this program and other creative arts endeavors is now available in their recently published book titled, “Creative Collaborations through Inclusive Theatre and Community Based Learning, Students in Transition.”

According to the website palgrave.com, “In this book, the authors share stories of creative, community based collaborations to illustrate how educators can use the arts to expand creative thinking and promote social justice beyond the classroom. Using their work in theatre classrooms as a central point, examples of innovative, inclusive programs designed to inspire learning for people of diverse abilities are presented. Through this examination, Kramer and Fask reveal the excitement, challenges, and unexpected surprises that come along with implementing a creative approach to learning.”