Keywords

Story Drama, Theatre for Youth and Families, Queer Pedagogy, Early Childhood Education, Intergenerational Learning, Story Telling

Abstract

While conventional story time typically involves passive listening and enforced stillness, Story Drama transforms the storytelling experience into a participatory process where children use their voices, bodies, and imaginations to shape the narrative collaboratively. Indeed, Story Drama, combined with queer and humanist learning theory, fosters an inclusive, student-centered environment where youth practice critical thinking, problem-solving, and self-realization. Using the techniques of Story Drama transforms storytelling into a tool for cultivating socially engaged, independent learners, encouraging critical thinking and activism by nurturing empathy, community awareness, and creative agency from an early age.

This thesis explores the reimagining of traditional storytelling practices in educational settings through the lenses of queering pedagogy, which resists normative hierarchies and embraces fluid identity and storytelling, and humanist learning theory, centered on intrinsic motivation, emotional connection, and student autonomy. Drawing from my experience teaching intergenerational Story Stroll and Baby and Me lessons at the Orlando Family Stage, I demonstrate how queer and humanist theory resist the restrictive norms of traditional storytelling. These practices cultivate social engagement, community solidarity, and early literacy skills by prioritizing students’ autonomy and empowering them to lead creative, child-driven role-play. This thesis contends that integrating pedagogical methods, queer theory, and humanist learning theory can transform storytelling into a tool for fostering independent learners and conscious members of society.

Completion Date

2025

Semester

Spring

Committee Chair

Horn Brendel, Elizabeth

Degree

Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.)

College

College of Arts and Humanities

Department

Theatre

Identifier

DP0029413

Document Type

Dissertation/Thesis

Campus Location

Orlando (Main) Campus

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