DRAMA: What issues and challenges are faced by T.E in Australia? How can you relate these issues and challenges to the TIE performances that you watched?.
Theatre in Education or TIE for short is a form of theatre that deals with issues concerning the lives and environments of children and young people. Not only is TIE a vehicle for good scripts that might not have any other chance to be performed but it also stretches the students" horizons and mind, so they can gain an experience and understanding of situations they may not otherwise have considered. .
TIE performances also guide pupils to see the challenges in adverse circumstances and possible ways to handle them. Even though this branch of theatre seems functional and intelligently attractive for schools, it is apparent today that TIE in Australia is facing numerous issues and challenges that hinder it from achieving and enjoying its true potential. .
By watching my peers prepare themselves and perform as TIE groups to younger students, the issues and challenges that affect TIE as a whole in Australia were reflected in the performances of my peers. .
Some of the major issues and challenges that TIE in Australia confronts today are the difficult and at times unwelcoming social environments that they must perform in along with the ignorance of the audience about theatre appreciation and the belief that the prestige of TIE is low. Many also complain that the content of TIE performances do not reflect or correspond to the school curriculum. Another major issue is the lack of funding from the Government which causes many TIE companies to go bankrupt, unable to continue their performances. .
At most times when TIE groups visit a school to perform, they are usually treated as a non-event, especially if it is a primary school. If only Drama had established a sufficient status and acceptance in schools, the TIE team's visit should be consistently welcomed with an actively understanding staff response.