The purpose of this experiment has been to complete a challenging thesis production in the style and technique of Open Theatre, utilizing imaginative production effects. The purpose was also to provide a valuable experience for those actors and technicians involved, meeting the standards and requirements of educational theatre. The experiment evolved from adapting, designing, directing, and producing a twelve-scene cutting from Megan Terry's Viet Rock and twelve episodes from Jean-Claude van Itallie's The Serpent.

The problem of this study is that of developing a speech and drama program for Tyler State College which is consistent with the philosophical framework of the college as well as with the scope of upper-division institutions in Texas as stated by the Coordinating Board, Texas College and University System. Emphasis is placed on the matriculation of students from junior colleges within commuting distance of Tyler.

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In the past drama education was an uncommon occurrence in South African schools, limited to the elective subject Speech and Drama at secondary level, which was only offered in a few schools in some of the provinces. The assumption is made that the introduction of Arts and Culture as one of the eight learning areas in Curriculum 2005 has greatly impacted on drama education at school level. This study aims to determine the state of affairs with regards to drama education within the current (2011) education system by investigating the nature, implementation and outcomes of drama curricula in South African schools. In the context of the far-reaching changes that has occurred in South African education since 1994, a historical overview of education before 1994 is given to act as a backdrop for a discussion of the process of education reform. The shift to an outcomes-based education approach is investigated by defining and discussing it in relation to the chosen South-African approach; identifying and discussing the theories and philosophies underpinning an outcomes-based approach to education; and looking at the national curriculum from its introduction as Curriculum 2005 until the recent revision of the National Curriculum Statement (Grades R-9), which will be phased into schools from 2012 as the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement. A comparative evaluation of the drama curricula in the current (2011) National Curriculum Statement (Grade R-12) and the drama curricula in the revised Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement serves as the means to determine the nature, content and outcomes of the drama curricula. The Africanisation of the drama curricula is investigated and it becomes apparent that indigenous knowledge, traditions, customs and cultural practices are successfully included in the drama curricula. The comparative evaluation also leads to the conclusion that the revised national curriculum is a definite improvement on the status quo. Through the investigation of the nature and outcomes of the different drama curricula, it is possible to identify specific requirements for the successful implementation of drama curricula. With these requirements in mind possible challenges and/or problem areas with regards to the implementation of drama curricula are determined and discussed. These challenges and/or problem areas are the following: the curriculum itself, the socio-economic circumstances of schools and learners, language issues, the status of drama education at school level, time allocation and management, funding and infrastructure, and teacher training. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Drama-opleiding op skoolvlak was in die verlede ’n nie-algemene verskynsel en is hoofsaaklik beperk tot die keusevak Spraak en Drama wat slegs in sekere provinsies by ’n beperkte aantal skole op sekondêre vlak aangebied is. Die veronderstelling word gemaak dat die bekendstelling van Kuns en Kultuur as een van die agt verpligte leerareas binne Kurrikulum 2005 ’n geweldige impak op drama-opleiding op skoolvlak gehad het en steeds het. Hierdie studie stel dit gevolglik ten doel om die stand van drama-opleiding binne die huidige (2011) onderwysstelsel te bepaal deur ’n ondersoek te loods na die aard, implementering en uitkomste van dramakurrikula in Suid-Afrikaanse skole. In die lig van die ingrypende veranderinge wat sedert 1994 binne Suid-Afrikaanse onderwys plaasgevind het, bied die studie eerstens ’n historiese oorsig van onderwys voor 1994 wat as agtergrond dien vir ’n bespreking van die onderwyshervormingsproses. Die oorskakeling na ’n uitkomsgebaseerde benadering tot onderwys word in oënskou geneem deur die gekose Suid-Afrikaanse onderwysbenadering te omskryf en te bespreek; die filosofieë en teorieë onderliggend tot ’n uitkomsgebaseerde onderwysbenadering binne die Suid-Afrikaanse konteks te identifiseer en te bespreek; en die nasionale skoolkurrikulum in oënskou te neem vanaf die bekendstelling van Kurrikulum 2005 tot en met die voorgestelde hersienings van die Nasionale Kurrikulumverklaring (Grade R-12) wat vanaf 2012 in skole infaseer word en bekend staan as die Kurrikulum- en Assesseringsbeleidverklaring. Deur middel van ’n vergelykende evaluering van die dramakurrikula in die huidige (2011) Nasionale Kurrikulumverklaring (Grade R-12) en die dramakurrikula in die hersiene Kurrikulum- en Assesseringsbeleidverklaring, word die omvang, inhoud en uitkomste van die dramakurrikula bepaal. Daar word ondersoek ingestel na die Afrikanisering van die dramakurrikula en dit word duidelik dat inheemse kennis, tradisies, gebruike en kultuurpraktyke op suksesvolle wyse binne die onderskeie dramakurrikula ingesluit word. Na afloop van die vergelykende evaluering word die afleiding gemaak dat die mees onlangse hersiening van die nasionale kurrikulum ’n definitiewe verbetering op die status quo is. Dit is moontlik om na aanleiding van die aard en uitkomste van die onderskeie dramakurrikula spesifieke vereistes vir die suksesvolle implementering van die dramakurrikula te identifiseer. In die lig van hierdie vereistes word moontlike uitdagings en/of probleemareas ten opsigte van die implementering van die dramakurrikula vasgestel en bespreek. Hierdie uitdagings en/of probleemareas is die volgende: die kurrikulum self, sosioekonomiese omstandighede van skole en leerders, taalkwessies, die status van dramaopleiding op skoolvlak, tydstoedeling en -bestuur, befondsing en infrastruktuur, en onderwyseropleiding.

"The purpose of this study is to record an accurate account of this development at North Texas State University and to correlate it to general trends in speech education in the United States. The hypothesis for such a study is that historical comparisons may be beneficial to scholars as indicative of those methods that have met with the greatest success."--2.

The problem of this study was the writing of a comprehensive history of speech and drama education in the Dallas Public Schools from 188^-1970. This necessitated the recording of the facts, events, and circumstances which have determined the condition and progress of speech and drama education in the Dallas Public Schools during this period of time.