Expanding Education Skills: Case Study and Content Creation for Theatre Educators at UM

A love of theatre does not spring into the hearts of people from thin air. It is not something given by the universe, but something cultivated through years of going to performances, researching late at night, and the guidance of theatre educators. Despite the influence of Theatre Educators, they are largely overlooked when considering theatre professionals and their training. This lack of oversight is a nation-wide issue, but by focusing on just the University of Montana, there is a chance for greater understanding and change at a local community level. By employing academic research, surveys of UM faculty and students, and interviews of local teachers, myself and research partner Natlie Renk aim to find areas for improvement in the training of theatre educators at UM. Consequently, these areas for improvement will be addressed through the development of course curriculum in the form of two course syllabi: THTR 438 and THTR 439, in order to expand theatre educator training at the university.