The Impact of Theater on Student Musical Understanding, Tolerance, and Appreciation of Diversity

• In Event: AERA Poster Session 5
  In Poster Session: Exploring Dynamic Uses of Arts-Based Inquiry (San Diego)

Abstract

This descriptive study reports the impact of a single theater experience on students' levels of musical understanding, social and political tolerance, and appreciation of cultural and ethnic diversity. Students attended, either in-person or virtually, a musical theater performance and associated workshops at four theaters across the US beginning in the COVID spring of 2020. Students completed anonymous pre and post surveys. Findings indicate that students reported increases on all measures from pre to post, with statistically significant increases on musical understanding and tolerance.

Author

• Angela R. Watson, Johns Hopkins University