- Question
Is it possible to teach theatre online?
With the onset of the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, both lives and livelihoods are at risk. Theatre is an inherently live and intimate art form. Paired with the closing of Broadway and the West End, theatre instructors are now asked to adapt their curriculum to fit an online structure in order to protect themselves and their students. Some argue that, with the absence of liveness, an inability to connect energetically with fellow actors to tell a story, and the inevitable time lag of online theatre, what we are creating is no longer theatre at all. Others are beginning to see the benefits of a virtual space.
Yes, it is possible to teach theatre online
Teaching theatre virtually grants a broader range of students the opportunity to engage with the art form. Most importantly, remote teaching is the safest option amid a pandemic.
No, it is not possible to teach theatre online
This position holds that theatre cannot truly be taught online. It argues that acting and production are inherently social arts, dependent on the live, shared context theatre companies create — and that 'virtual theatre' is no longer theatre in its true form, seriously damaging the art.
It is only possible to teach theatre online if we allow the art form to evolve
While it is a novel concept to the artform, technological advancements all the teaching of theatre remotely. The COVID-19 pandemic has demanded many traditions to adapt, and theatre is no different.