Applied Theatre Practitioners’ Knowledge Management: Using Community-Based Youth Theatre for Learning, Collective Consciousness and Identity Building in Youth from their narratives

Abstract

In this article, four Thai applied theatre practitioners, who are Sombat Keawneuoon, Saowanee Wongjinda, Boonpong Panhit, and Nontawat Machai, were interviewed and observed while they worked with youth in communities. It was carried out to conduct knowledge management (KM) on applied theatre process as a learning tool and process for youth in their projects. The four practitioners employed individualistically unique applied theatre formats and processes that presented narratives from communities. Applied theatre processes allowed for young people to reflect on and create narratives from selected issues pertained to their neighborhood. The selected issue in the community was transformed into a story in which the young actors performed and learned through acting as characters in the situations. After the performance, the youth pursued a critical dialogue with their audience to create collective consciousness and survey solutions for the issue.