What is Theater and Why is it Important?

What is Theater?

“Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers, usually actors or actresses, to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a stage. The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture, speech, song, music, and dance.” (Theatre, 2024)

While theater can just be a person reciting some lines in front of people, it can also be very elaborate, with custom lighting, sound, builts sets, and many many cast members. What matters is that they are performing. Theater is an art form that has a wide variety of ways it can be done. Don’t even get me started on experimental theater.

So now that the definition is out of the way, I can talk about why we should care. I will specifically be talking about why theater is important for engineers, since Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute was an engineering school.

Why is it Important?

This quote from the P.D.A. summarizes why theater is important very beautifully. Life in college is more than just studying and exams, it is a time where students build community and explore their interests in fun ways. Theater is a hobby that not only provides entertainment, but also brings very important life skills to students, especially ones in more technical fields like engineering. Another beautiful quote is from the Poly Play Workshop 1928 Polywog entry,

"Primarily, the Workshop was founded to provede an outlet for the dramatic ability of the students. It was felt that a technical college had a place for such an undertaking. First, because the very nature of the technical work needs to be supplemented by activity of a less scientific kind. Secondly, because there is an intimate relation between certain phases of applied science and the art of stage production. 

On the non-scientific,and the more generally "cultural" side, the Workshop provides training in the art of acting that helps the student's voice, memory and poise. To the student who has an ability in design and color, it offers a field for the exercise of his talent for creating a pleasing and appropriate stage picture. It also provides training in mechanical work of various kinds as well as business experience derived from solving its many executive problems and in handling its finances."

Think about the role that engineers play in our futures. They are some of the most important people in our society, so it's essential that these people have an understanding of the world around them and the people they are impacting. If an engineer were to only have an understanding of the machines and technology, then we would be in big trouble, because of course, you need humanity when building for humans. This is something that colleges all around the world are aware of. They want their engineering students to not only see things from a technical point of view (Finch). This has resulted in colleges, such as Columbia, creating a more “well-rounded” education for engineering students, one that includes English and the Arts (Finch). 

You've likely heard of STEM education, which focuses on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. It emphasizes the technical aspects of learning and is vital for developing critical skills in these fields. However, there's a growing recognition that STEM alone may not be enough to address the challenges of our rapidly changing world. That's where STEAM comes in. It’s a movement that integrates Art into STEM education, creating a more comprehensive approach to learning (Sharapan). By incorporating art into STEM education, we open up new avenues for creativity and innovation. Art encourages students to think outside the box and helps create a mindset of  experimentation and exploration. This interdisciplinary approach to education empowers students to tackle complex problems from multiple angles, leading to more innovative solutions (Sharapan). Research supports the benefits of STEAM education. A study conducted at the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth, compared the creativity of freshman and senior engineering students. The results were interesting. “Freshman students generated concepts that were significantly more original than those of seniors” which suggested that “freshman engineering students can be more innovative than their senior-level counterparts” (Sharapan).  These findings show how important interdisciplinary learning is for creativity and innovation among students.

But why is creativity so important? In today's world, we face many challenges that demand creative solutions. By nurturing creativity in students, colleges are preparing them to tackle these challenges head-on, equipping them with the skills they need to thrive in an ever-changing landscape (Morey). Also, STEAM education inspires collaboration and inclusivity. By breaking down the barriers between different disciplines, it encourages students to work together, drawing on their diverse strengths and perspectives. This collaborative approach not only leads to better outcomes but also creates a sense of belonging and community among students.