Developing wonder: Teaching theatre for the very young through collaboration with developmental psychology

ABSTRACT If Theatre for the Very Young is to flourish in the United States, college and professional actor training programs must develop a pedagogy of this genre to prepare future theatre makers. In spring 2017, two professors, one of Developmental Psychology, and one of Acting and Ensemble Creation, co-created and taught an undergraduate, interdisciplinary course, Developing Wonder: Psychology, Theatre, and Children. The course provided a detailed study of the different stages of psychological development from infancy to early childhood paired with an examination of work by seminal international artists making performances for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers, from birth to five years of age. This article provides an overview of this unique course, an analysis of the theoretical foundations and methods used in developing the interdisciplinary course, discussion of challenges in combining theatre studies and psychology, and reflections on the lessons learned in offering this class to college students.