ABSTRACT
This chapter puts forward instructional concepts for the use of mixed reality (MR) as part of an applied theatre class on a university campus. Applied theatre is a constructivist performance practice that seeks to improve the participants’ community. Participatory performance tactics from Augusto Boal’s Theatre of the Oppressed, an applied theatre practice, are connected to MR’s interaction design patterns to develop a lesson plan. Together, MR’s affordances and Boal’s tactics comprise an MR-enhanced dramaturgical pedagogy that provides novel opportunities for critical reflection on community issues. Researchers implemented the lesson plan at the Georgia Institute of Technology to explore and address issues of safety on campus. The students who participated in the workshops felt like they developed unique knowledge about safety thanks to both the affordances of MR and the constructivist performance activities. Further, the students felt that their work could positively impact the university’s campus. Beyond the lesson plan, several other suggestions are presented for educators looking to implement MR as part of an applied theatre practice on their own campuses.
