Major benefits for students who attend live theater, study finds

[Recursion]

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/10/141016165953.htm

File this under "if you needed a study to tell you this..."

Field trips to live theater enhance literary knowledge, tolerance and empathy among students, according to a study published this week by researchers in the University of Arkansas Department of Education Reform.

The research published in Education Next examines the impact on students of attending high-quality theater productions of either Hamlet or A Christmas Carol. The researchers found that viewing the productions leads to enhanced knowledge of the plot, increased vocabulary, greater tolerance and improved ability to read the emotions of others.

"What we determined from this research is that seeing live theater produced positive effects that reading a play or watching a movie of the play does not produce," said Jay Greene, professor of education reform. "Plays are meant to be seen performed live. You can't always take your kids to a play but if you can, you should. The story can be conveyed in a movie, but it doesn't engage the viewer in the same way."

Greene's department has conducted several studies about the effect of culturally enriching activities on students. Two years ago, researchers found significant benefits in the form of knowledge, future cultural consumption, tolerance, historical empathy and critical thinking for students assigned by lottery to visit Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Arkansas.

[antigop]

1. Empathy? Tolerance? No wonder conservatives like to cut arts funding nt

[stillwaiting]

9. Yes, yes, and yes. nt

[NaturalHigh]

2. I don't doubt this for a second.

When I was a teacher, we maxed out our field trip budget on things like this. Kids who wouldn't read Poe on a bet were glued to "The Telltale Heart."

[BrotherIvan]

3. Yes, and far more beneficial than endless testing

Some students remember field trips and the lessons taught for the rest of their lives.

[lunasun]

4. Son just went last week = great field trip option

[mountain grammy]

5. and children who see live theater

take their children to see live theater. That's how it's worked in my family.

[Android3.14]

6. Definitely makes sense

It's the fourth wall.

[Recursion]

7. There was a great act called "The Flying Karamazov Brothers"

They did a comic version of the Brothers Karamazov while juggling (sounds weird but it works). Dmitri keeps talking to the audience, which bothers Aloysha, who tries to explain to the other brothers the concept of the fourth wall. In frustration, he has the techs bring down an actual wall from the flies between the characters and the audience, to make his point, and continues with his lecture on the history of theater from behind the wall. Dmitri, irritated, sneaks around the wall and takes a leak. Aloysha pops his head up above the wall, sees what he's doing, and says furiously,

"You can't piss on the fourth wall!!!"

[Bluenorthwest]

10. They are still very much a great act. I love them.

Currently performing....greatest jugglers I have ever seen.
Do you remember them juggling a burning torch, an egg, and a skillet, culminating with the egg falling into the pan with the fire passing under it? Crayzee stuff!
http://www.fkb.com/

[Recursion]

11. Holy crap thanks

I had no idea they were still touring.

[Bluenorthwest]

12. They are marvelous and have some local history around here....

People often remember them from Jewel On The Nile and also a Seinfeld episode about a sports jacket....I remember them making me say WOW over and over again at some cramped venue ages ago....

[burrowowl]

8. Live theater

is a Good Experience!