Third International Conference on Communication & Media Studies

Abstract

This paper examines the intersection of communication, gender, and performance, as demonstrated through a creative project involving students at Al Akhawayn University in Ifrane, Morocco (AUI). Drawing from theater for social change theory and from literature on performing gender, this paper examines the impact of using theater to effect societal change. In four AUI Media and Gender classes (fall 2015, spring 2016, fall 2016, and fall 2017), students formulated a series of questions designed to elicit responses from other AUI students, creating compelling narratives focusing on gender equality and sexual violence. The transcripts of these interviews were edited into four scripts, performed as staged readings. The methodology for this paper relies on data from surveys collected after the four performances, as well as interviews and discussions conducted with the classes and the four audiences. Analysis reveals that attendance at the play increased over the two-year period, and survey participants responded that seeing a theatrical performance helped them understand issues differently. The audiences were motivated to take concrete action to promote gender equality in society in direct proportion to the power and specificity of the stories shared onstage, demonstrating the potential of theater to inspire the audience to make positive societal change.