Theatrical Activities for Educational and Upbringing Purposes: the Experience of African Countries

Abstract

The article presents an overview of the research works related to the issues of implementation and use of theatrical practices and drama-based methods in African educational and humanitarian organizations. In accordance with this area of research, the article provides a brief historical review on the development of African performing arts for the educational purposes. It also presents theoretical approaches to the most demanded and efficient theatrical practices for the local communities that are focused on their development and integration, heritage preservation and transfer of their original culture from one generation to the next. Also, such practices serve to raise awareness among the population concerning general humanitarian problems such as safe behavior models, contemporary challenges and threats to local ethnic communities and humanity in general. Within this context the paper gives a number of examples of educational projects that are based on the on principles of drama-based pedagogy and deal with the spread of diseases, reconciliation of conflicting parties, school knowledge acquisition. The article discusses and analyses the main factors, motives and specifics of theatricalization of educational process that keep drama-based methods in education in African countries in great demand. It is emphasized that the theater is an effective tool for information and educational work in situations connected with distribution of various socially dangerous diseases and the peaceful settlement of conflicts rival ethnic groups and tribes.