Audio Theater for Science Education

K-12 STEAM education

Pilot or new project, program, or initiative (testing or implementing a new idea)

Education experts strongly advocate for the use of “integrative” approaches – such as the use of the arts – to promote STEM literacy among students. Research has shown that theater, in particular, can be an effective way to teach science concepts, improve students' attitudes towards science, and increase their interest in science majors. It can help students engage with science in a way that goes beyond their intellect, using their bodies, emotions, and belief systems to explore ideas from different perspectives.
L.A. Theatre Works (LATW), the world's leading producer of audio theatre, has developed an array of resources to use theatre as an educational tool, particularly for STEM, including curricular materials, innovative apps, partnerships and pilot projects. Given the many demands on teachers, engaging them in the use of innovative approaches requires persistence and a great deal of hands-on support. Now past COVID, the time is right to implement our innovative programs in schools.

LATW produces world classics, modern masterpieces, contemporary and original works that speak to the issues of our times – with an emphasis on new writers from diverse backgrounds. We have been creating innovative, theatre-based educational tools and programs since our founding. Our Relativity Series of 40+ plays was specifically created to advance understanding of science and technology, and includes an extensive study guide based on LATW’s production of Spill by Leigh Fondakowski. The play tells the true story of the 2010 BP oil spill, the greatest environmental disaster in U.S. history. Our curriculum offers teachers a step-by-step guide in utilizing the audio play to help students explore issues related to science and society.
Through the years, we have developed relationships with an array of educational organizations that reach underserved youth, such as Teach for America, Green Dot Public Schools, and educators across the country who have piloted innovative ways to utilize LATW productions. We have 200+ teachers in Los Angeles County who are enrolled to receive our annual distribution of educational plays.
We seek to hire a dedicated Education Outreach Manager (EOM) to build on what we have started, and utilize the tools we have created to increase both student interest in STEM and engagement in world-class theater. The EOM will develop relationships with school personnel and provide hands-on support in integrating LATW’s educational resources into the classroom.

If we are successful, students in disadvantaged communities will be inspired to pursue further study and careers in the sciences – or at least come to appreciate and understand scientific principles and their importance in society. Our Relativity Series plays feature stars from film and television that will attract student interest. The stories they tell address a wide range of STEM topics – from astrophysics to zoology – while illuminating the human and ethical struggles involved in the practice of research, invention, and recognition in the sciences. Moreover, these important issues are taken on by a diverse array of voices traditionally underrepresented in public discourse about science.
We will also fuel the creativity of school teachers, helping them achieve their pedagogical goals through an innovative and joyful approach to education. Ultimately, we foresee a robust community of educators – supported with LATW online resources – who bring the power of theater to their teaching.

There is a large body of research that shows the value of the arts in STEM education. The National Science Foundation-funded Reimagining Equity and Values in Informal STEM Education (REVISE) Center currently lists 185 arts-based projects in its community repository, including 29 projects involving theater in various forms. Evaluations of these projects have found them to be effective at increasing audience members’ understanding of science.
LATW has received positive feedback from educators around the country who have taken the initiative to use our resources in the classroom. With a dedicated Education Outreach Manager, we will be able to conduct a more thorough evaluation of programming, including formal and informal feedback from teachers and surveys of student participants to determine the impact of the program on their understanding and appreciation of science. We hope to pilot assessment tools during the grant period.