Adapting Acting Education for Pandemic-Friendly Mediums
K. M. Flanagan, Danu Anthony Stinson, Anita Prest · 2023
When an educator drastically changes the physical learning environment, there is a potential for a psychological change in a student's focus and will. Psychological changes can naturally manifest in one's presentation of energy, behaviour, and appearance. With traditional classroom settings being converted into online and significantly different in-person training environments, the potential for a parallel transformation by actors and teachers in adjusting to these new environments can be expected. In self-presentation theory, an individual can control the self-image presented to others (Leary, 1983). But what if the new self-image is: survivor? Online classrooms have unique challenges in adapting traditional actor training methods, and educators should be alert to the impacts on students' commitment by observing their changes in energy, behaviour, and costuming because self-presentation impacts not only the characters being portrayed, but more importantly, the actors. Our success as educators is largely determined by how well our students learn and what kind of actors they become. Self-presentation theory can be used as a lens through which to observe students' focus, and it can be applied to reimagine the roles of the students and teachers. This chapter is written as a play, enabling you, our readers to take on a role. The question for our readers is: what role does self-presentation theory play for students and teachers in adapting actor training education into pandemic friendly mediums: online, in-person indoor and in-person outdoor classrooms?