ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the role of drama and dramatherapy in education from a UK perspective with brief reference to North American viewpoints. It discusses the potential for wider inter-disciplinary discussion between the two professions and the current involvement of dramatherapy within school system. Jonothan Neelands discusses Schechner's four interlocked domains of performance: education, healing, ritual and entertainment, which all have a valid place within society and are appropriate at certain times. It was also reported that the dramatherapy work impacted on the improvement of school work, specifically mathematics, as reported in focus follow-up groups with teachers. Neelands points out that the strength is that, in absence of a national agreement about a drama curriculum, schools are free to design a curriculum for drama that is particularly responsive to local needs. Robert Landy and Montgomery, in discussing range of influences that have had significant developments in recent decades, provide a current perspective on North American drama education that is worth noting.
