“When Brian Acted His Way Out of a Wet Paper Bag”: The Transformational Qualities of Drama Education

Abstract

This study utilised Mezirow’s Transformative Learning framework to explore drama teachers’ and pre-service drama teachers’ perceptions of transformation in the drama space. The research specifically examined three core questions: 1. Who are transformed? 2. What is transformed? 3. How does transformation happen? Adopting a phenomenological qualitative approach, we analysed interview data from eight drama teachers and 22 pre-service drama teachers in Western Australia. Findings indicate that participation in school-based drama activities fosters transformations (and perceptions of transformation) in self-confidence, personal values, and willingness to take creative risks. Beyond teaching performance skills, drama cultivates deeper understandings of self and others, offering enduring benefits that reach far beyond the classroom. This research makes explicit the taken-for-granted assumptions of drama as a transformative experience.

Keywords

drama drama education drama pedagogy drama teacher self-confidence transformation

Introduction

Brian turned up in my Year 8 drama class and skated around the edge of every activity and struggled to engage no matter what encouragement I gave him. The next year, he turned up in my Year 9 class. I pulled him aside and said, ‘Brian, you hate drama. What are you doing here’? He said, Mr Walman, I hate drama, but I need drama . That blew me away. That this young kid had the understanding that for his continual growth, drama would be an essential part. I suspect the idea of gaining confidence was driving him. In the next year, the year ten pantomime, he became the narrator and did a fabulous job of it. It was a limited role, but his impetus was an internal recognition that, for him to survive in the world, he needed something more than just to sit on a chair in a room by himself.

“For education to be of high quality, it must be transformative” (UNESCO, 2023).

The phenomenon of transformation has been a topic of interest in a number of disciplines including education, anthropology, philosophy, psychology, and neurobiology. General consensus across disciplines defines a transformative experience, as a phenomenon able to create long-lasting, irreversible, pervasive consequences on individuals’ beliefs, perceptions, identity, and values (Brown, 2000; Chirico et al., 2022; Gaggioli, 2015).

An example of a memorable transformation can be identified in the 1622 work of sculptor Bernini, in his representation of the precise moment in which Daphne, while fleeing from Apollo, physically transformed herself into a laurel tree. In this representation, transformation was conceived as a sudden and unexpected phenomenon, which irreversibly changes the state of things. The COVID-19 pandemic is a contemporary example of transformation where people were plunged into a very different life – a different routine for working, shopping, schooling, and attending live events (Marmarosh et al., 2020; Vos, 2021).

Within the education landscape, there are references to the power and necessity of education to transform lives (OECD, 2021; Parliament, 2022; UNESCO, 2024). Indeed, the Alice Springs (Mparntwe) Education Declaration (Council of Australian Governments Education Council, 2019) states:

Education has the power to transform lives. It supports young people to realise their potential by providing skills they need to participate in the economy and in society and contributing to every aspect of their wellbeing… Highly skilled teachers and educators have the ability to transform the lives of young people and inspire and nurture their personal and academic development (p. 3).

This vision is explicitly echoed in the Australian Curriculum: The Arts (ACARA, 2023) in which the rationale for Drama foregrounds the subject’s unique capacity to develop confidence, empathy, creativity, and critical thinking – qualities that equip young people for active and engaged participation in society. The curriculum clearly aligns with the Declaration’s aims, positioning Drama as a subject that not only fosters artistic skills but also supports personal, social, and emotional growth.

Within the field of drama education, the focus of this research, we find claims for drama as a transformational experience (Balfour et al., 2020; O’Toole et al., 2020), and drama teaching being transformative (Nicholson, 2005; Sinclair, 2015; Thompson, 2006). However, attempts to empirically measure this transformation have produced mixed results. For example, Winner and Cooper (2000), in their meta-analysis of studies involving students of various ages, found strong correlations between drama and positive student outcomes, such as engagement, confidence, creativity, and social development, but concluded that there is insufficient empirical evidence to confirm a direct causal relationship between drama education and academic achievement. Bryce and colleagues (2004), in their evaluation of four Australian school-based arts programs with students from year four (primary) to year ten (secondary), reported that arts-rich environments enhanced writing, problem-solving, and communication skills. While a causal link could not be established, drama participation was associated with gains in imagination, self-confidence, social interaction, and a sense of school belonging. Similarly, in their book advocating for arts-rich pedagogies for early childhood, primary, and middle years students, Gibson and Ewing (2020) found that drama contributed to academic growth and supported the development of self-esteem, collaboration, and creativity, particularly among marginalised students. Anderson and Jefferson (2019) further demonstrated that drama fosters creativity, critical reflection, communication, and collaboration, enhancing engagement and shaping school cultures in the broader context of school transformation and reform.

The Conceptual Terrain

Transformative Experience

Chirico and colleagues (2022) conducted a conceptual analysis of disciplines’ (education, anthropology, philosophy, psychology, neurobiology) constructs of Transformative Experience, leading to an interdisciplinary definition:

Transformative experiences can be defined as brief experiences, perceived as extraordinary and unique, entailing durable and/or irreversible outcomes, which contribute to changing individuals’ self-conception, worldviews, and view of others, as well as their own personality and identity by involving an epistemic expansion (as new forms of knowledge of the self, others, and the world) and a heightened emotional complexity (emotional variability, high intensity, mixed emotions), as the two core phenomenological features. They are usually remembered vividly (p. 14).

These experiences may appear spontaneously or through planned interventions. These experiences stimulate or impel action and reflection that can challenge a person’s mental schema, resulting in disruption.

Within the field of education, several scholars have offered conceptions of transformative learning (see e.g. Merriam et al., 2007; Taylor, 2008); however, Mezirow (1997, 2000, 2009) is more widely cited in the literature. Mezirow’s work frames transformation as a learning process and emphasises the importance of critical reflection, encouraging individuals to examine and revise their assumptions and beliefs (Mezirow, 2009). Mezirow’s (1978) original conceptualisation was applied to a group of adult women who were returning to studies or work. The theory, fundamentally social constructivism, focuses on making meaning from experiences, helping individuals reframe and reinterpret their lives for personal growth (Mezirow, 1991). By promoting self-awareness and critical thinking, it empowers learners to become more autonomous (Kurnia, 2021). While Mezirow’s theory provides a framework tailored to adult learners, it is used across disciplines and age groups (Kitchenham, 2008; Young et al., 2022).

Mezirow’s theory does draw criticism from scholars citing an overemphasis on rationality, potentially neglecting emotional and intuitive aspects of learning (Boyd & Myers, 1988; Fleming, 2000; Illeris, 2004). Further criticism cites that Mezirow’s theory of transformation focuses too much on individual change, overlooking social, cultural, and contextual influences (Taylor & Cranton, 2013). The theory’s linear model is seen as prescriptive and not reflective of the complex nature of transformative experiences (Howie & Bagnall, 2013). Critics argue it has a Western bias and lacks sufficient empirical support. Additionally, it fails to adequately address power dynamics and how they impact the transformative learning process, especially for marginalised groups (Illeris, 2004; Kokkos, 2010).

Drama education intrinsically balances emotion and rationality, addresses both individual personal change as well as potential for social, cultural, and contextual change and actively explores power and status (O’Toole et al., 2019; Sinclair, 2015). Consequently, while cognisant of these criticisms, we still find Mezirow’s theory of transformation suitable to investigate transformation in the drama space, allowing us to become aware and critical of our assumptions, to recognise our frames of reference and to use our imaginations to examine problems from a different perspective (Mezirow, 1997). Mezirow (2000) stated “as there are no fixed truths or totally definitive knowledge and because circumstances change, the human condition may be best understood as a contested effort to negotiate contested meanings” (p. 230).

Mezirow’s theory of transformative learning focuses on critical discourse and self-reflection. He advocates for a process-oriented approach to transformative learning, whereby educators assist their students to develop the skills and habits of these processes rather than deciding on a predetermined image of how learners should think and be (Hoggan & Hoggan-Kloubert, 2020, 2022). This thinking has driven the approach taken in this research. Mezirow’s theory outlined a specific transformative process resulting in both a deep change in a frame of reference and a shift in thinking, which irreversibly alters the way individuals are and act (Chirico et al., 2022).

Transformation in Drama and Arts Education

The Guiding Principles of the UNESCO Framework for Culture and Arts Education (UNESCO, 2024) states, “Culture and arts education should be holistic, transformative, and impactful” (p. 3). Indeed, these Guiding Principles are reflected in drama education pedagogy where drama teachers see learning in and through drama as embodied, collaborative, and experiential (Coleman & Thomson, 2021), key to building personal, social, and cultural identity (Pascoe, 2022).

Mezirow (2000) described a disorienting dilemma that challenges usual mental schemas (Young et al., 2022). As drama educators, we help students become aware of their assumptions and to view different perspectives. In drama, we examine viewpoints different to our own through the characters we step into and the plays we explore (Heathcote & Bolton, 1995). We help our students become transformative learners, whereby they move toward a frame of reference with more self-reflection and more integration of experience (Neelands, 2009). We are therefore in a unique place to create transformative experiences for our students.

Transformational drama education provides an avenue to bring about change in our lives, communities, and society. Changes may be to people’s perceptions of world issues, their attitudes, and reactions to those issues. Some sort of catharsis is expected, where, as Aristotle in The Poetics noted, drama provides a process of release and relief from strongly experienced emotions. However, as Newman (2012) cautions, not all transformative dimensions of those learning experiences result in immediate transformation. Transformation may be experienced in the future, in reflection and on a deferred time frame.

Drama involves higher-order cognitive tasks that require high levels of social and linguistic skill. In describing how dramatic transformation stimulates learning, Neelands (2009) writes that drama can:

… offer young people a mirror of who we are and who we are becoming… can be a dynamo for social change by providing the space to imagine ourselves and how we can live differently…. a lens through which young people can discover the embodied relevance of the real in their curriculum (p. 176).

Drama experiences, under the leadership and guidance of a highly effective drama educator, can help students become agents of ethical change in their lives. The drama classroom places communication, relationships, and collaboration front and centre (Anderson & Jefferson, 2019; Heathcote & Bolton, 1995; Sinclair, 2015). In doing so, cohesion and relationships of trust are developed. Students are supported to express their vulnerability and are empowered to think ethically beyond their own worldview to be able to navigate a world full of contradictions (Neelands, 2009). Drama education creates a safe and supportive environment where students are encouraged to take risks without fear of failure or embarrassment. Drama educators’ model risk-taking themselves, reinforcing the value of learning from mistakes and fostering creativity. As a result, drama helps build students’ self-esteem and resilience by making risk-taking a positive, inclusive experience for all learners (Bryce et al., 2004; Goble et al., 2021; Sincuba, 2024).

Hatton (2002) models drama as an ‘inherently transformative mode of learning which invites teachers to skilfully intervene in shaping students’ ways of knowing and being’ (p. 81). Drama practice ‘involves continuous reconfiguration of perception, remembrance and expectation’ (Polkinghorne, 1988, quoted in Hatton, 2002). White and Raphael (2023) identify that drama can work as an embodied and affective pedagogy, fostering empathy and allowing for understanding of multiple perspectives through critical exploration of controversial issues in science. Within a teacher education perspective, Hannigan and Raphael (2021) explored how arts-based inquiry developed reflection and reflective practice providing opportunities for shifting perspectives and perceiving teaching practice differently, which resulted in inspiring more creativity in teaching.

The Current Study

Our research contributes to the discourse about drama education and transformative education by adopting a nuanced perspective guided by three key questions: (1) Who is transformed? (2) What is transformed? (3) How does transformation occur?

This research utilised Mezirow’s Transformative Learning framework as a starting point to investigate drama teacher and pre-service drama teacher’s understanding of transformation in the drama room. Using a phenomenological qualitative approach, we analysed data from interviews with 8 drama teachers and 22 pre-service drama teachers in Western Australia.

Method

Our qualitative research project involved semi-structured individual and focus group interviews with 30 drama educators. Of the participants, 22 were pre-service drama teachers (14 identified as female, seven as male, and two identified as non-binary) and eight were in-service drama teachers (four identified as female and four as male). The pre-service drama teachers were completing a Bachelor of Education or Master of Teaching degree with a drama major. The average age of pre-service teachers was M = 21, and they came from a range of cultural backgrounds, see Table 1.

Table 1.

Pre-service Drama Teacher Participant Context

Name (pseudonym)	Identifies	Age	Year level	Course
Simone	Female	18 years	1^st year	Master of Teaching
Sarah	Female	19 years	2^nd year	Bachelor of Education
Courtney	Female	18 years	1^st year	Bachelor of Education
Jess	Female	21 years	3^rd year	Bachelor of Education
Levi	Non-binary	19 years	1^st year	Bachelor of Education
Zoe	Female	17 years	1^st year	Master of Teaching
Victoria	Female	18 years	1^st year	Bachelor of Education
Ronnie	Female	23 years	3^rd year	Bachelor of Education
Claire	Female	23 years	2^nd year	Bachelor of Education
Anton	Non-binary	25 years	1^st year	Master of Teaching
Al	Male	21 years	3^rd year	Bachelor of Education
Olivia	Female	20 years	3^rd year	Bachelor of Education
Shane	Male	19 years	1^st year	Bachelor of Education
William	Male	19 years	1^st year	Bachelor of Education
Hollie	Female	22 years	3^rd year	Bachelor of Education
Clinton	Male	19 years	1^st year	Bachelor of Education
Cassy	Female	21 years	2^nd year	Bachelor of Education
Tasha	Female	18 years	1^st year	Bachelor of Education
Nina	Female	23 years	4^th year	Bachelor of Education
Leonie	Female	21 years	2^nd year	Bachelor of Education
Mike	Male	26 years	1^st year	Master of Teaching
Jason	Male	24 years	4^th year	Bachelor of Education

Of the eight in-service teacher participants, two were retired drama teachers (both male), and six were in-service drama teachers. Of these six in-service drama teachers, four identified as female and two identified as male, and all had between six and 10 years’ experience, see Table 2.

Table 2.

In-service Drama Teacher Participant Context

Name (pseudonym)	Identifies	Age	Teaching experience	School sector
Chris	Male	30 years	5 years	Independent school sector
Stuart	Male	75 years	35 years, now retired	Public school sector
Leila	Female	32 years	8 years	Public school sector
John	Male	70 years	38 years, now retired	Independent school sector
Dalina	Female	32 years	6 years	Public school sector
Angela	Female	40 years	10 years	Public school sector
Caitlin	Female	42 years	10 years	Independent school sector
Jason	Male	41 years	8 years	Public school sector

Interview transcripts were manually transcribed verbatim from an audio recording by researchers. Thematic analysis of interview transcripts was conducted by the research team using processes outlined by Braun and Clarke (2022). The three phases of analysis were generating codes, searching for themes, and reviewing themes. Where patterns were found, authentic phrases and reflective nouns were used. Focused thematic coding was undertaken for the second and final cycle of coding, with code categories closely examined for patterns of salience, inconsistency, relativity, and affect.

Findings

Three themes emerged from the research in relation to transformation and drama education: (1) transformation of self-confidence; (2) values transformation; (3) transformation through risk-taking.

Theme 1: Transformation of Self-Confidence

It was evident within all participants’ stories that being a drama education student at school brought about significant transformation in their self-confidence. As Simone, a Master of Teaching drama student explained, “I was extremely introverted and struggled a lot with confidence as a child. Drama allowed me to step outside myself and pretend to have confidence, which in turn became real”. Many other participants emphasised that they were not just “a little shy” but “painfully shy” and that drama had helped to build their self-confidence.

For some participants, it was their parents who enrolled them into drama classes, in efforts to help with their lack of self-confidence. Sarah, a second-year pre-service drama teacher, explained her acute shyness when she was a young teenager and her mother’s intervention, “I wanted to be invisible. So, to build my confidence, my mum enrolled me in drama. It completely opened my world. It showed me I could be or do things I didn’t know I could”.

While participants were aware of their improved confidence within drama education classes, they were also cognisant of the benefits to life outside of school. Courtney, a first-year pre-service drama teacher said, “Being a part of my school production in Year 11 really helped improve my confidence not just in drama but in everyday situations – especially in terms of stepping out of my comfort zone”.

The role of the drama teacher in building confidence was discussed widely by participants. Hollie, a third-year pre-service teacher, recalled her drama teacher asking her to perform her monologue at a performing arts festival. She said, “I couldn’t believe I was asked! I was someone who was very nervous and anxious. She saw something in me I didn’t realise I had, and her belief helped me gain immense confidence”. Jess agreed and added, “My teacher encouraged me and gave me opportunities to choreograph and direct with him. This helped build my self-confidence and really opened me up”.

In addition to participants being aware of their improved perceptions of self-confidence, was the recognition of growth by others. Participants described this recognition proudly, linking it to the successes that followed. Levi, a first-year pre-service drama teacher recalled, “I did youth musical theatre in my small town and people noticed that I became more confident. I believe it helped me get to where I am”. Sarah similarly recalled, “Performing a solo show was frightening. But I did it. I proved so much to myself. My family noticed how much personal growth I had made. It was the start of being able to put myself forward more”.

For some participants, it was only later in life that they realised the self-confidence they had developed through drama education. Zoe recalled with emotion:

I started Year 12 drama with no friends and a lot of anxiety and self-hatred. Being involved in the drama class was life changing. Without really realising it at the time, the work we were doing was building my self-confidence and brought me closer to my peers. I even started to like myself. It was amazing. I hate to think what would have happened had I not joined that drama class back then.

Indeed, the friendships made within drama classes and extracurricular drama productions seemed to be instrumental to participants developing and articulating their sense of self-confidence. For Victoria, a first-year Bachelor of Education drama student, the connections she made with like-minded peers in the drama room supported her well-being significantly. She explained:

Moving to Australia was hard making friends. I was lonely. When I joined drama classes and productions, I felt connection, bonded with people I had things in common with and made friends. I was so shy, and so building trust and developing relationships helped me gain confidence to perform in front of people, a way to express my emotions. Reading plays about others helped me to not feel so alone.

Ronnie, a third-year drama pre-service teacher, similarly believed that his drama community of like-minded peers was essential to his growth in self-confidence. He said, “Drama is transformative in so many ways. It has a lot to do with developing self-confidence and a community that comes along with it. A community that nurtures each other”. For Ronnie, like so many of the participants, his drama teachers were integral to his personal growth. He elaborated:

I had great experiences with my drama teachers who really took me under their wing and introduced me to the drama family. It really felt like a family. Like, the family we have here [at university] so very supportive and nurturing. The safety and community those teachers created transformed so many of us from shy awkward kids to being our best selves. We found a home and a family in this huge school that was safe. That transformed my entire school experience where I found a pocket to belong in.

Chris, an in-service drama teacher, consistently witnessed the transformation of his students’ self-confidence, particularly throughout the journey of a school production. He explained:

I see students’ journey of self-confidence all the time in our productions. Productions have a distinct beginning point with auditions and end point where students bow on closing night. I've seen consistently the boost that students receive to their self-confidence. My Year 12 ATAR students were discussing how they had felt ‘changed’ by the production. When I asked how, the group consensus was, on top of other things, it boosted their level of self-confidence.

While participants were aware of the role of drama on their transformation of self-confidence, they were also aware of how this extended to their identity formation. For Simone, a Master of Teaching pre-service drama teacher, her experience of gaining a lead role in a school production was profound. She said, “It was the first time I felt good enough. The “me” I wanted to be, finally started peeking through. It was a gradual onwards and upwards from then”. For Claire, a second-year pre-service drama teacher, being cast as Patty Simcox in a production of Grease not only contributed to her improved self-confidence but also her ability to express herself. She said, “Throughout the process, my confidence grew, and I began to trust and believe in myself more. Drama became a way to express myself and gain confidence”.

Indeed, the experience of performing on stage in school productions not only boosted their sense of self-confidence but also exposed participants to the joy and value of the arts. Anton, a Master of Teaching pre-service drama teacher, explained:

I was a super shy kid but a teacher saw my potential and cast me in the role of Mr Wormwood in our school production of Matilda. It was a huge moment of personal growth for me as I absolutely lit up on stage and it boosted my confidence big time. It kickstarted my love for drama.

For retired drama teacher, Stuart (Mr Walman in the opening vignette), pivotal moments in his career stood out as stark examples of how, when, and for whom transformation occurred. He reflected on a class of Year nine students working on a modern retelling of Doctor Faustus, and a particular student called Brian:

Bless his heart, could not act his way out of a wet paper bag. However, by the end of that production, when the curtain closed, the entire cast mobbed him. I’m sure the audience had no idea of his transformation, but the cast certainly knew that he had indeed acted his way out of that paper bag. And it might seem nothing to the audience, but the cast knew exactly what his journey had been, and they were incredibly proud of that journey. He was that starting point for me being able to see what drama could do for students. The rest of the cast had grown as well and had gained in confidence.

It is evident that for drama education students, growth in self-confidence was an obvious transformation that took place. Pre-service drama teachers recognised their self-confidence transformation both as school students as well as in reflection, many years after graduating high school. Additionally, drama teachers witnessed consistent evidence of immediately realised student transformation of self-confidence both in drama classes and school production activities.

Theme 2: Values Transformation

Further to reflections and discussions around drama and self-confidence was the deeper transformation of values both in self and others. Al, a third-year Bachelor of Education student, explained:

In Year 11, we did a production titled Manful, a devised show created by Year 9 to 11 students, investigating toxic masculinity and misogyny in private boys’ schools. It was an extremely vulnerable process that required a high level of honesty and introspection. It exposed me to a perspective that I would have never found outside of the theatre and it thankfully led me to reevaluate my beliefs on topics such as sexism and patriarchy.

For Al, the drama room provided a safe space to ask questions, hold conversations with his trusted drama teacher, and to explore emerging ideas through drama. This transformative experience has far-reaching outcomes for Al as he embarks on a career of drama teaching with the potential of replicating transformation for others.

When third-year pre-service drama teacher, Olivia, took on stage manager responsibilities for her school production, she experienced a shift in values towards helping others. The experience enabled Olivia to utilise her skills and leadership position in a way that benefitted others. She recalled:

It was a character development moment for me. We had very young cast members, and I became their mentor. This changed my perspectives on who I wanted to be. I became a role model in my position and loved helping people. This experience shaped my values where I understood the joy of helping others, leading me eventually to choose drama teaching as a career.

Whereas for Shane, a first-year drama education pre-service teacher, his understanding of team values and how he impacted others was transformed significantly whilst working on a school production. He explained:

I was the lead in our production, but I had many other commitments that kept getting in the way of rehearsal. I was letting my team down, but I didn’t realise it until my teacher took me aside and talked to me about the impact on the cast. It was a good lesson to learn at school. It taught me to look out for my peers and think about how I impact others.

The collaborative nature of drama and students learning the role they play was similarly discussed by in-service drama teachers. Leila said, “learning from others and with others provides opportunity to diversify perspectives and experiences”. Retired drama teacher, John, explained:

The value of working collaboratively in drama is so important, especially learning how to compromise. It comes through in spades in drama. Students can’t help but be changed by the fact they are working with people they don't usually mix with, sometimes people they don't particularly like.

For William, the opportunity to work with a community of like-minded people in a production enabled him to grow as a person. He recalled, “I have learnt so much from how I see my peers treat each other and manage problems. It has made me a better person, a better friend”. Hollie emphasised the role of the drama production community and transformation when she explained:

You learn so much and it transforms you, your growth as a person. The community has a certain magic. At the end of a production we all get the post show blues. We spend an intensive time with these people who really care for us and we're going on this journey together and that community is what can really transform a person.

Stepping into the shoes of characters and experiencing perspectives different to their own was widely discussed by participants. Clinton, a first-year pre-service drama teacher, reflected on his role of Christopher in “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time” (Stephens, 2015):

It opened me up to understanding that not everyone experiences the world the same way I do. This enabled me to be more understanding when working with different people. Neuro-diverse people. All sorts of people. I wasn’t the same after that. I don’t think any of us were.

The ways in which drama education provides opportunities to learn about people were discussed by all participants, both pre-service and in-service drama teachers. Ronnie and William encapsulated this when they explained:

In drama, we literally are being other people, which is such a special thing. It teaches us about empathy in a way that we can't really access in any other way. I have learned so much about different cultures and perspectives through the plays we have studied.

William agreed and elaborated:

Drama asks us to step into shoes that we've never walked in. I think the idea that we can learn from other people’s mistakes is really evident in a drama space. We enter these characters and see their journeys, their mistakes. My experiences are few at this age. But I’ve increased the lives and lessons through walking in the shoes of these different characters and how they interact with their world, their problems. I then relate this back to my own life.

The insight these pre-service drama teachers had on their values transformation was similarly reinforced by in-service drama teachers. Chris discussed the challenging life stage of his students and how, “through drama, students find opportunity to question, find a voice and learn about their world in a safe, supportive space”. Caitlin similarly explained, “I see the impact of drama on students’ views and preconceived ideas they have about things, particularly as they go through adolescence”. Dalina agreed, adding, “Students go through a lot of complex issues and drama offers a lens to navigate adolescence - identity struggles, confusion, and that desire to be really heard”.

Theme 3: Transformation Through Risk-Taking

Participants, both in-service and pre-service drama teachers, discussed the transformation they had experienced themselves and/or in others when taking a risk, and the far-reaching benefits that resulted. Cassy, when describing her first school production said, “I was brave and put myself into a vulnerable situation where I was worried about looking stupid. It was scary but it provided opportunity for such personal growth”. While daunting at the time, participants recalled multiple moments of how risk-taking leads to transformation. For Tasha, a first-year Bachelor of Education student, creative risk-taking was in the form of improvising during a public performance when someone had forgotten to put a dead body on stage. She described this as having:

No choice but to take a risk and improvise my way out. I think learning to take risks in drama helped me step up and have a go at things later in life. Like, coming to uni was such a risk and I was scared but if you don’t take a risk – then you miss out on things. Missed opportunities.

For Nina, who described herself as “someone who was way too anxious to audition for the school productions” decided that in Year 12, “enough was enough and with my drama teacher’s encouragement and belief in me, I auditioned for a lead role in the production”. She reflected thoughtfully on the experience, concluding with, “I had never been so proud and excited over something I did. This was the start of putting myself out there and taking more risks”.

For some participants, risk-taking was in the form of learning to trust others. Developing trust in peers saw opportunities “open up” around them. Leonie described:

Last year, I was the youngest person in a production which at first was daunting and I really doubted myself. For all sorts of reasons, I found it hard to trust people, I guess for fear of getting hurt. This production experience pushed me and I had to trust my instincts and trust the people around me. Other performers took me under their wings. I grew so much as a performer and person. I will do the same for others.

In-service drama teachers were acutely aware of the risk they expected students to take entering a drama space. Risks involved performing in front of others to sharing personal experiences to receiving feedback. Dalina encapsulated this notion when she explained:

We ask students to take some big risks in drama and I think risk-taking is a big part of transformation. Our students need to feel safe enough to take a risk, which is different to being comfortable. Being comfortable doesn’t really enable growth. I don't think students can have a transformational experience without finding something deep within themselves.

Finding “something deep within” was echoed throughout focus group discussions. For Mike, a Master of Teaching student, the process of writing and directing a play enabled him to explore aspects of his childhood that he “needed to confront”. He said, “It was hard but through deep exploration of characters and questioning why they acted and behaved as they did, I believe it healed some trauma. This experience was transformative for my perspective and healing”.

Interestingly, drama teachers reflected on their moments of transformation through risk-taking in drama both as students and as teachers. For Angela, her transformation as a child from a ‘shy awkward kid in drama who learnt to have a go and take a risk’ to a highly effective drama teacher leading a large performing arts program is one such example. Dalina described her personal and professional growth through working on a reimagining of a Shakespearean play:

A few years ago, I worked with an Indigenous actor and performance maker on a reimagining of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. We called it, A Midsummer Dreaming. At the time, I was going on my own identity journey –being born on this land but not knowing anything about it. It was an incredibly transformative experience for me and I learnt so much from working with this lovely, generous man. It was such a risk being a white woman and navigating this with a predominantly white class. It helped me to feel more connected. I had lived experience rather than it being something I studied or talked about. I’d spent six months working with the text, six months working with cultural identities and navigating relationships and cultural norms and breaking down my own cultural norms. We lived it physically. We got into a space and worked with dance and puppetry. We were living the stories and playing out the stories that had been around for thousands and thousands of years. Even today, reflecting on this experience, it was hugely transformative.

The notion of being “okay with mistakes and learning how to deal with failure” was discussed by drama teachers as something they intentionally encouraged and assisted students manage in their drama classes. Caitlin said, “At the heart of learning to cope with failure is experimentation, a key technique in drama education”. Stuart, a retired drama educator, explained:

When kids engage in drama they learn how to experiment. Especially in rehearsal and improvisation class activities - learning that it doesn’t always work out. Sometimes we fail and that’s okay. So often kids see failure as a bad thing. I've always said, we all make mistakes, that’s how we learn. They can try things that are beyond what they usually do but we need to appreciate that this takes guts. It’s risk-taking.

Angela agreed and explained that when she sets students up to experiment and workshop ideas, she emphasises to the students, “It’s the idea that we need to push ourselves, accept challenges. Some kids take it up and others don’t. That’s okay. I encourage kids to work with others and even that is risky for some of them”.

All participants agreed that drama education and extra-curricular drama productions provided a unique experience to support students to take risks. From encouraging students to “have a go and put themselves out there” (Jason, in-service drama teacher) to “taking a risk, work with different people, form bonds and connections” (Caitlin, in-service drama teacher), risk taking often leads to transformation. Dalina explained it this way:

Performing in a production offers a unique space for growth and connection that differs from the usual school day. The rehearsal room encourages risk-taking, experimentation, and self-expression. We feel it. Holding space for each other. Being around like-minded peers and finding a sense of belonging. They become each other's cheerleaders. They can’t help but grow closer, kinder to each other and blossom. I see this all the time as a drama teacher.

Discussion

“Education can only be transformative when students feel valued, acknowledged, safe and are included in the learning community as full and active members” (UNESCO, 2023). It seems the term transformation is brandished around in education with all sorts of claims that for education to be high quality, it must be transformative (OECD, 2021; UNESCO, 2023). But what do we actually understand of transformation? Is this just hyperbolic claim or a convenient metaphor? And what of the claims about drama and transformation (Chinyowa, 2009; Taylor, 2003)?

The merging of data from interviews with drama students and educators in the current study reveals a range of transformative experiences that have had long-lasting consequences on the participants’ perceptions, identity, and values (Brown, 2000; Chirico et al., 2022; Gaggioli, 2015). Interrogating this data has enabled us to gain a clearer understanding of (1) who are transformed through drama? (2) What is transformed through drama? (3) How does transformation happen in drama?

Who are Transformed through Drama?

A diverse range of students studying drama at school and/or participating in extracurricular drama productions. These students include shy and/or introverted students, nervous and anxious students, students with low self-esteem, as well as students who feel isolated and lonely at school. Importantly, it is the support and trust of a drama teacher that enable transformative drama experiences for these students. Our research also revealed those with the capacity and opportunity to open their mind to other perspectives and ideas, or a willingness and ability to consider different perspectives, ideas, and opinions experienced transformation. Teachers of drama are also purposefully aware of the transformative capacity of students and the teacher’s role in fostering climates of possibility.

What is Transformed through Drama?

Students’ self-confidence, self-expression, and identity formation, as well as an ability to step out of their comfort zone and take risks (Bryce et al., 2004; Goble et al., 2021; Sincuba, 2024). Students’ deep change in frames of reference and shift in values (Mezirow, 2000) such as equality, inclusion, and cultural understanding (Sinclair, 2015). Further, students’ capacity to work as an effective group member with the ability to manage and solve problems. Finally, the transformation of empathy, understanding, and generosity towards helping others (Chirico et al., 2022; Mezirow, 2000; O’Toole et al., 2019).

How Does Transformation Happen Through Drama?

By the drama teacher creating and maintaining a safe, supportive space for students to take risks, make mistakes, assume agency and responsibility (Goble et al., 2021; Sincuba, 2024). This includes opportunities for students to collaborate and learn from people from other cultures, engage purposefully with potentially confronting issues and disorientating dilemmas (Mezirow, 2000), take on characters with diverse perspectives (Mezirow, 1997), and receive constructive and supportive feedback. The drama teacher’s ability to encourage bravery and embrace vulnerability through a process-orientated approach (Mezirow, 1997, 2000) with opportunities to experiment, workshop ideas through improvisation where students can explore and develop personal material (Coleman & Thomson, 2021). Finally, through the formation of a strong community of like-minded people (Gray & Lowe, 2019; Sinclair, 2015).

Transformation through drama as it is emerging in this research has implications for the role of teacher pedagogy, the shaping of the learning environment and drama education practice for teachers in classrooms and students in drama teacher education. For example,

“To take risk is to take a chance, to do something when the outcome is not certain” (Koh et al., 2015, p. 13). Creative risk taking can be characterised as ‘an orientation to the new and to learning through mistakes or challenges’ (Balkin, 1990, p. 30). Henriksen et al. (2021, p. 4) argue that risk taking is “enacted through a willingness to try new ideas and possibilities, and engage with the potential for failure” or what Kapur (2015, p. 55) calls “productive failure”.

In the context of discussing the links between drama and creativity, Lambert et al. (2016) note that for creativity to be promoted, risks towards growth are necessary. Effective drama pedagogy promotes willingness to take “intellectual risks” (Bandura, 1997, p. 28) and includes “acceptance of difference, openness, tolerance for change and ambiguity, challenging tasks and goals, risk taking and absence of rigid sanctions for minor and harmless mistakes” (Lambert et al., 2016, p. 19).

Beghetto (2018) unpicking the implications of risk taking for pedagogy describes rethinking what “success” means in school; sharing “favorite failures” to make failure less frightening; and practicing “possibility thinking”. Henriksen et al. (2021, p. 4) discuss “the need for a developed learning/classroom culture for risk-taking and failure, and the teacher’s role in managing discomfort”. Drama pedagogy provides clues to better understanding ways of fostering learning resilience and recognising the social and cultural implications of discomfort in the face of ambiguity.

These challenging ideas are interwoven, perhaps sometimes subconsciously or on the edges of thought, through the lived experiences of the teachers and student teachers in this research.

Limitations

While this research provides valuable insights, it is limited by its relatively small and self-selecting sample, which may not reflect the broader population of drama educators. The predominance of early-career pre-service teachers may also skew the findings toward newer perspectives. Additionally, despite rigorous thematic analysis, some researcher subjectivity may have influenced interpretation (O’Toole, 2006).

Conclusion

By examining who is transformed, what is transformed, and how transformation occurs, this study deepens our understanding of drama’s capacity to shape lives. Transformation was evident across a diverse range of students, particularly those who felt shy, anxious, isolated, or lacked confidence. These changes were enabled by drama teachers who cultivated spaces of trust, openness, and possibility. The research highlights growth in students’ self-confidence, identity, and values such as empathy and inclusion, alongside enhanced interpersonal skills and a stronger sense of belonging. Transformation occurred through process-driven approaches that embraced vulnerability, and critical reflection, supported by teachers who fostered purposeful learning and strong classroom communities.

Re-visiting the story of Brian “acting his way out of a wet paper bag” seen through the remembered story of Stuart, “the audience had no idea of his transformation, but the cast certainly knew” and that experience was for Stuart “the starting point for me being able to see what drama could do for students”.

This study also highlights the unique and authentic experiences drama educators create to foster empathy and self-awareness and resilience-building through risk taking. Through these experiences, students are encouraged to explore possibilities, engage with others, and take meaningful creative risks. In doing so, they build confidence and develop the courage to share their ideas and perform alongside peers. Drama does not just teach performance skills, it enables students to better understand themselves and others, offering lasting benefits that extend well beyond the classroom.

At a time when many students feel disconnected within their schools, when youth mental health challenges are at unprecedented levels, when teachers are leaving the profession in increasing numbers, and when arts subjects are being cut to prioritise explicit instruction in literacy and numeracy, this study reminds drama educators of the vital, transformative work they do. Drama education doesn’t just teach skills, it changes lives. It equips students, just like Brian, to crawl out of that wet paper bag and to keep on climbing.

This initial research encourages us to continue exploring the transformative capacity of drama education, collecting and reviewing additional case stories of the phenomenon and providing deeper analysis of who, what, and how drama as transformation happens.

Footnotes

ORCID iDs

Christina Gray

Robin Pascoe

Funding

The authors received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Declaration of Conflicting Interests

The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

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