5 IB Theatre topics made easy with Digital Theatre+

Teaching IB Theatre? The International Baccalaureate in Theatre covers a vast range of theatrical topics, encouraging students to develop a deep understanding of theatre as an art form, while also developing their creativity, critical thinking, and collaborative skills. With lots of topics to cover and limited class time, Digital Theatre+ comes highly recommended by IB Teachers across the globe. Here are 5 popular IB topics that can be easily taught with Digital Theatre+...

IB Theatre: Theatre History

Theatre history can be challenging as it covers a wide range of periods. With 65%* of students being considered visual learners, finding innovative visual tools can be the key to not only helping students understand learning objectives but also getting them excited by it! A Digital Theatre+ subscription gives you access to a range of resources to help including Unlocked: Theatre History which provides insightful e-learning videos on widely-taught theatrical history such as Greek and Elizabethan Theatre. You can also help students understand the historical context of specific plays through the Digital Theatre+ collection of documentaries, educational videos and workshops. With hundreds of live-captured productions (and supporting lesson activities), students can see examples of plays to compare and contrast design aspects of costume, set and lighting to visualize and increase understanding.

IB Theatre: Playtexts

One thing that sets theatre apart from English is active participation. When students first read a playtext, they can’t jump straight into rehearsals, they must first understand the story and character purpose. Digital Theatre+ has a wide range of tools to support script analysis and the early stage of working with playtexts. One of the most innovative resources that can help with this is the new interactive playtexts! These playtexts take students from page to stage, with clips from recorded productions (as well as questions and discussion points to strengthen understanding). As students read the text they can see the scene come to life, teachers tell us that this is especially helpful for challenging texts like Shakespeare, watch this testimonial from an ELA Teacher. For modern plays, experiencing a scene performed as the playwright intended can increase students’ creative interpretation and comprehension, which translates when they take the playtext to the rehearsal space.

IB Theatre: World Theatre

When teaching "World Theatre" within the IB Theatre curriculum, we know that teachers aim to provide students with a broad understanding of theatrical traditions, practices, and performances from diverse cultural contexts around the globe. To help expose your students to a global stage and theatre traditions, Digital Theatre+ collates the largest collection of high-quality theatre from around the world to give students a front-row seat and backstage pass from your classroom without the costly impact of travel and risk assessments. Digital Theatre+’s extensive collection on World Theatre includes productions, interviews, e-learning videos, and lesson plans covering topics of world theatre such as Commedia dell’arte, Japanese Theatre, Theatre of India and so much more!

IB Theatre: Devising Theatre

Often beginning a lesson on devising theatre can feel daunting for students. As mentioned in top 5 devising exercises for your classroom, it is considered one of the trickiest skills for theatre students, but when mastered, it can empower students for self-expression. Digital Theatre+ can support you with rehearsal and devising workshops including warm-up ideas, character development and so much more, brought to you by theatre-making giants, Frantic Assembly, Stan’s Cafe, Paper Birds, and many more. With 40+ devised productions available, students can see examples of what a devised production can look like, giving them something to work towards during the rehearsal process.

IB Theatre: Design

According to our community of educators, technical theatre is often listed as the most challenging to teach due to facilities, accessibility, and exposure to industry experts. You cannot be expected to be an expert in lighting, costume, or sound design, alongside all the other topics you’re teaching. It would be great to have a team of experts on hand to help with their professional insights on the “how” and “why” of theatre design, but bringing in experts is expensive. Did you know that with a Digital Theatre+ subscription, you and your students will have access to professional insights all in one place? As well as practical tips and how-to guides from leading cast and creatives, you also have access to student-facing resources to help them become experts in all areas of theatre design. 

What IB Theatre topics do you need help with? Talk to our education experts today and they will give you access to Digital Theatre+ resources to help your students. 

Want unlimited access to Digital Theatre+? No problem! Get a tour of the platform and see how your IB Theatre lessons can be made (a lot) easier!

Take a tour! 

References: 

1. https://www.avadolearning.com/blog/the-7-different-learning-styles-and-what-they-mean/#:~:text=Sensory%20Learning%20Styles&text=These%20are%20split%20into%20spatial,5%20percent%20are%20kinaesthetic%20learners.