“Harriet Speaks”, an Interactive Ethnodramatic Event: The Emotional and Educational Impact on Adult Attendees.

Location

1053

Format Type

Paper

Format Type

Workshop

Start Date

12-1-2017 1:15 PM

End Date

12-1-2017 1:35 PM

Abstract

Ethnodrama, described by Saldana (2005) as “dramatizing the data” (p.2), is defined as using theater production to capture the essence of collected data. For the past twenty years, I have been presenting a research-based one-woman drama revolving around the life of Harriet Tubman, a conductor on the Underground Railroad. The purpose of this study is to share adult reactions to one of the most recent Tubman dramas presented in April, 2016. More specifically, I will inform the audience about the extent to which adult attendees were personally motivated, inspired, entertained, and educated through the theatrical presentation. My motivations for conducting this study are in direct alignment with Saldana’s philosophical beliefs around ethnodrama; he states that “There comes the responsibility to create an entertainingly informative experience for an audience, one that is …intellectually rich, and emotionally evocative” (p. 14). Using a workshop format, I will begin with a brief personal introduction, followed by sharing a clip of the Harriet Tubman ethnodrama; I will, then, solicit comments and reactions from the audience as a way of inviting participation and fostering interactivity. Next, in keeping with the qualitative tradition, I will highlight analyses of interviews, focus groups, and arts-based inquiry through which data was triangulated, while promoting the idea that passion (arts-based research) and rigor (traditional research) can reside in the same research-based space (Leavy, 2015). Finally, results of the study will be dramatically presented to the audience through the voice of Harriet Tubman. The nature of the workshop should require 40-45 minutes.

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Breakout Session B

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Jan 12th, 1:15 PM Jan 12th, 1:35 PM

“Harriet Speaks”, an Interactive Ethnodramatic Event: The Emotional and Educational Impact on Adult Attendees.

1053

Ethnodrama, described by Saldana (2005) as “dramatizing the data” (p.2), is defined as using theater production to capture the essence of collected data. For the past twenty years, I have been presenting a research-based one-woman drama revolving around the life of Harriet Tubman, a conductor on the Underground Railroad. The purpose of this study is to share adult reactions to one of the most recent Tubman dramas presented in April, 2016. More specifically, I will inform the audience about the extent to which adult attendees were personally motivated, inspired, entertained, and educated through the theatrical presentation. My motivations for conducting this study are in direct alignment with Saldana’s philosophical beliefs around ethnodrama; he states that “There comes the responsibility to create an entertainingly informative experience for an audience, one that is …intellectually rich, and emotionally evocative” (p. 14). Using a workshop format, I will begin with a brief personal introduction, followed by sharing a clip of the Harriet Tubman ethnodrama; I will, then, solicit comments and reactions from the audience as a way of inviting participation and fostering interactivity. Next, in keeping with the qualitative tradition, I will highlight analyses of interviews, focus groups, and arts-based inquiry through which data was triangulated, while promoting the idea that passion (arts-based research) and rigor (traditional research) can reside in the same research-based space (Leavy, 2015). Finally, results of the study will be dramatically presented to the audience through the voice of Harriet Tubman. The nature of the workshop should require 40-45 minutes.