What does 'applied theatre' mean?

Answer 1

Actually, there are several definitions for this term. Depends who's using it.

The poster directly above me is correct in that it can mean the application of dramatic theory in a hands-on way: actually DOING what you're learning about.

In my particular subfield (drama and theatre education), Applied Theatre is the use of theatre to accomplish nontheatrical objectives. Using performance with people who are incarcerated, for example, as a tool to open up discussion. Or creating performance with homeless teens as a way to give them voice and expression for their experiences. As these examples imply, Applied Theatre in this context is often about using theatre to address social issues.

Answer 2

Applied Theatre is the term used to describe any theatre or drama production that is applied to a specific context with a specific audience in a specific setting. For example, for Geese, this could a production about issues relating to resettlement with offenders in a prison. In the case of Applied Theatre, the audience are present solely as observers to a specific production.

There's tons more on the site below.

Answer 3

In college, when you enroll in an "applied theatre" class, you are enrolling in a course where you practice what you have learned... in other words, the application of a skill such as advanced acting, stagecraft, costume design, intermediate directing, etc. Non-applied theatre courses are those that focus on theory and philosophy of theatre.