Academic’s research into drama funding gaining interest overseas
Fri Apr 08 2016 12:00:00 GMT+1200 (New Zealand Standard Time)
Academic’s research into drama funding gaining interest overseas
08 April 2016
When University of Auckland academic Dr Molly Mullen presented her PhD research into applied theatre, she was thrilled to gain international interest in her work.
Now she is going to spread her research into funding and applied theatre even further with a book deal with Bloomsbury Publishing.
The Faculty of Education and Social Work lecturer presented her doctoral research as an emerging scholar keynote at the International Drama in Education Research Institute (IDIRI) in Singapore last year.
Her research examines the ways in which socially committed theatre makers experience and manage their financial relationships.
“My research considers how practitioners deal with the challenges of producing socially committed theatre in what are often inhospitable political and economic contexts,” she says.
“The literature tends to highlight the pitfalls and perils of funding relationships rather than offering possibilities for action.” Molly’s research used three established theatre companies in the UK, New Zealand and Hong Kong, and reflected with them on key issues they were experiencing and the relationship between their organisational and creative practices.
Her presentation was so well-received she was approached by a group of theatre education managers in Toronto who are part of a group called PAONE, which provides events, resources and support for people working in participatory arts and arts access. PAONE has a research club, whose members read and discuss research and are also hoping to develop research as a community of practice.
They invited her to attend one of their meetings via Skype.
“They were all present in a room in one of the theatres in Toronto, all shivering because it was the middle of winter, and I attended via Skype to talk and be questioned. They asked me about the articles and the research and I had some questions for them about whether my research findings resonated with them, as they are the kinds of practitioners it’s aimed at.”
The meeting helped Molly share her research with like-minded people and also assisted her with the book she’s had accepted by Bloomsbury Publishing.
The book, called Applied Theatre: Economies, will be published in early 2018 as part of Bloomsbury’s Applied Theatre series.
“Two of the members of PAONE will be writing a chapter that takes the issues and findings from my research and considers them in relation to their practice and the context of Toronto. So particularly how they fund their work and work with donors.”
The news is the latest success for Molly, who has wanted to work in theatre since her primary school days. She completed an undergraduate degree in Drama and Theatre Arts (Goldsmiths College, London) and a Masters Degree in Applied Theatre at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in London.
“Theatre can do many things and play many different important roles within communities. Sometimes it is important for a group to just enjoy playing together through drama, or to use drama to identify and explore issues that are important to them, to use performance to speak out in the public sphere, or to create something powerful and beautiful.”
Read about the Applied Theatre series.
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Anna Kellett, Media Relations Adviser
Email: anna.kellett@auckland.ac.nz