Theatre as a Tool for Science Communication
A conversation between two science theatre practitioners for World Theatre Day
World Theatre Day falls on March 27, and it is a great day for theatre professionals to talk about their experiences and thoughts regarding the industry. It’s also a day for celebration.
There are so many aspects of theatre that make it a fantastic industry. People are able to follow their dreams by performing for audiences or helping create the shows that people love dearly. Venues like Broadway are beacons for extravagant and moving theatre.
One of the great aspects of theatre is in its role in communication. Whether its from performer to audience member, or marginalized class to oppressor, theatre has been used as a tool for communication for centuries.
Unfortunately, the pandemic has hit the theatre industry pretty hard. Numerous shows around the world have been cancelled or postponed, the transition to a digital sphere has worked for some theatre companies and not others, and many people are missing the experiences of participating or viewing this grand industry. While the future looks bright with the current rollout of vaccines, there is still a ways to go before any semblance of “normal” can return.
If you would like, listen in to two theatre professionals talk about the idea of using theatre as a tool for science communication, different kinds of science plays, and what they use theatrical skills in their regular work. Plus, hope for theatre to start again soon.
*Disclaimer: All references to “Science Museum” refer to the Science Museum of Virginia, and not to the Science Museum in the UK.
What is Science Theatre?
Science theatre and science plays can generally be broken up into a few categories. The first, are science plays that aim to educate audiences about the history of a particular scientist or STEM professional, or about a certain scientific discovery. Another category is for plays that aim to educate audiences about a certain scientific concept. Then, there are certain plays that only use science as a sort of auxiliary plot point.
Science plays will often be more engaging for audiences then matter-of-fact lectures, but will still be able to instill some new knowledge to the viewer.
Theatre Can Be Used for Science Communication
In an immediate sense, science communication is all about informing, educating, and raising awareness of science-related topics. Oftentimes, the goal of science communicators is to also instill a sense of wonder and awe about science in others. There are all different kinds of careers science communicators can take, and one big one is in museum organizations.
Science museums around the world have become organizations with a knack for effective science communication. While no museum is perfect, especially as the last year has shown us in regards to diversity and inclusion, science museums can be great low-stress environments for the public to learn.
Connection is an important factor when trying to educate people about different topics, especially relating to science. If the information gets too dense, people turn off. If you are able to present important science in an entertaining way, then people might just pay a bit more attention. Theatre at museums, and science plays, can also help break up big complicated concepts into more digestible pieces.
Theatre can also be a great way for kids to learn science. Almost everybody knows about Bill Nye, possibly one of the greatest science communicators on the planet. For anyone that has seen any of his videos, you’ll know how everything is performance. Bill Nye the Science Guy is a great example at how making science entertaining can be one of the best ways to help people learn.
Numerous people like to explore the ways theatre and STEM can mix, and there are great conversations to be had about theatre as a tool for science communication. If you have never thought about it until now, maybe it’s something to consider. Whether you’re a museum educator thinking about new ways to connect with guests, or whether you’re a theatre producer wondering about new plays to add to an upcoming season, science plays are pretty cool.
Things mentioned in our conversation:
- Global Warming by Charles L. Mee
- Copenhagen by Michael Frayn
- Science Museum of Virginia
- Color-in-Context Theory by Andrew J. Elliott and Markus A. Maier
