Theatre-based training combines training content and materials and workplace situations with dramatic performances to educate employees and initiate action toward increased production and performance and an improved bottom line.
- ABOUT THEATRE-BASED TRAINING
HOW DOES IT WORK?
THE BENEFITS OF THEATRE-BASED TRAINING
WHY CHOOSE VISION ENTERPRISES?
ABOUT THEATRE-BASED TRAINING
With all the conveniences of cable television, pay-per-view, and movie rentals, why does live theatre still thrive and remain so popular worldwide? Live theatre provides the audience with a close personal connection to the actors in a performance. When we see a live theatrical performance, we feel as though we now know the actors on a personal level. It is genuine and human. It is
spontaneous and authentic. Live theatre entertains and moves an audience with real-life impact. The emotions are felt as deeply in the front row as well as the balcony and the drama of it all oftentimes touches us profoundly.
Similarly, the entertainment and interaction of theatre-based training, which uses live actors, drives a point home so strongly that it impacts participants to take action to improve their productivity with newly acquired and practiced skills. It is a unique form of training and developing your people, and its effectiveness is rated among the highest in the training industry.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
Carefully Researched Scripts
We devote time into researching the training topic, your company, your industry, and your client type; for example, some companies sell business-to-business, and some through distributors, while others sell to consumers. Different types of clients require different scripts.
We also talk with people at all levels in your company to learn about your successes and challenges on the specific training topic, and to learn about your company’s culture.
We may use examples of situations provided by our clients or we may create new and unique situations to drive the point home for your employees. It is our practice to customize the performances and training delivery.
Theatre-based Training Methods
There are different theatre-based training methods to educate employees in a training setting. Vision Enterprises will sometimes use one type of approach, and other times use a mixture. It depends on our clients, their preferences, and their needs.
“Everyone’s a Critic”
Actors* perform a rehearsed skit on a training topic that demonstrates the correct and incorrect ways of behaving or performing. Training participants, our audience, will discuss the successes and challenges they observed in the presentation. The facilitator will assist them in connecting these observations back to their workplace, and preparing an action plan for changes in behavior and performance.
* In the theatre world, the term “Actor” represents both men and women. We continue that tradition here at Vision Enterprises, and don’t intend to slight actresses, we just call them actors as the professionals do!
“The Playwright’s Revision”
Actors perform a rehearsed skit on a training topic that demonstrates the “incorrect” way of behaving or performing. Training participants will discuss the techniques they’ve learned previously in the workshop, and in groups will be assigned a different actor. Each group of “playwrights” gives the actor (still in character) pointers on how he/she could improve their situation, and rewrite the play. Then, the actors come back to the stage and, using what they’ve been instructed from their groups, perform their playwrights’ revisions.
“Interactive Theatre”
Training participants watch a brief performance. Following, they are assigned into small groups, and each group is given background information on one of the characters from the performance they just viewed. After preparing, each group interacts with an actor who will remain in character to solve a problem. This is a theatre-based training style that creates a tremendous impact wherein the participants have an opportunity to practice the skills they’ve learned earlier in the day in a real-life interaction. Groups debrief after each interaction.
“The Understudy Study”
This style of theatre-based training allows participants from the audience to watch a rehearsed performance wherein there are behavioral, performance or communication issues to resolve (depending on the training topic). Following, there is an opportunity for participants to jump onto the stage, become the understudy for one of the characters and continue the skit. They respond or make comments on behalf of the character in the skit. The facilitator debriefs with the entire group to assist in making the connection back to their workplace.
“The Improvisation Station”
The training participants are formed into small groups. Each group will write a situation that could happen in their company for another group to act out and solve, based on the training topic. Groups have time to prepare, and the improvising then begins with participants solving the problem at hand.
THE BENEFITS OF THEATRE-BASED TRAINING
Our research with clients indicates that 3 - 6 months after a theatre-based training program, participants are still demonstrating visible changes in behavior, interpersonal communication, and performance. Over 96% of participants still maintain that theatre-based training programs had a high impact for them, and is their preferred training method.
WHY CHOOSE VISION ENTERPRISES?
- Customized and Carefully Researched Scripts
- We Bring the Training Home to Your Workplace
- Expert Facilitators
- Diverse Acting Professionals
Customized and Carefully Researched Scripts
We work closely with our clients to learn about their company, industry, client type, and culture. It is our pleasure to accommodate clients who have a particular situation they’d like to see addressed. We use examples the client provides, or create our own examples from their feedback. We strive to ensure a strong connection for training participants back to their worklife situations.
We Bring the Training Home to Your Workplace
Our training facilitators connect the training material and the learning from the performances with the participants’ own workplace and situations. We facilitate lively discussions on how certain techniques will affect the participants’ worklives and the success of the companies they work for as well as how it might affect their customer base.
Expert Facilitators
Our facilitators are nationally recognized experts in the training topics they deliver, with extensive backgrounds in management, sales, communication, team development, and leadership. We employ training professionals, organization development professionals, human resource experts, and consultants.
Diverse Acting Professionals
Vision Enterprises employs the highest quality professional actors from the stage and the screen as well as regional and community theatre around the country. We also provide learning opportunities for drama students from colleges and universities. |
