Applied theatre as research: Provoking the possibilities

This article examines the potential for applied theatre as a research method. The context of the applied theatre as research (ATAR) approach is discussed, positioning the methodology within the community-based participatory research (CBPR) tradition and providing a discussion of the relationship between applied theatre as research (ATAR) and participatory action research (PAR). This approach positions research participants as ‘actors’ and, through various aesthetic approaches (including drama, music visual arts and dance), allows them to create meaning. The article contextualizes this discussion within a case study of an ATAR project developed in Redfern, Sydney, Australia in partnership with a large non-government organization (NGO) and young Aboriginal participants. We conclude with a discussion of the potential of this approach to become an effective and powerful research methodology and identify some of the impediments to that development.