A Landscape of Ethics in Research-Based Theater

Staging Lives of Family Members Who Have Passed

Bibliographic Data

ID18950451
AuthorsGraham W Lea (0000-0003-3730-2988, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada, corresponding author), George Belliveau (0000-0002-6937-7581, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada)
Year2023
Volume29
Issue2
Pages343-353
Publication date2023-02-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueQualitative Inquiry (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1077-8004 • E-ISSN: 1552-7565
PublisherSAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/10778004221098991
OpenAlexW4283378969
LanguageEN
References cited18

Blending academic and theatrical worlds in research-based theater (RbT) requires balancing academic demands of institutionalized research and aesthetic demands of theater. This duality becomes particularly significant regarding ethics. With so much possibility, it becomes imperative for practitioners to share, and learn from, vulnerable and challenging ethical experiences. This creates landscapes of ethical possibilities for RbT and guideposts for navigating them, established by the field, highlighting well-worn paths, pointing out pitfalls, and noting where few have yet to trod. Contributing to this cartography, we consider ethical questions encountered during development and production of three RbT projects involving family members who have passed: Homa Bay Memories, Brothers, and Unload. In doing so, we question which stories might be best left untold and the evolution of relationships throughout the research. Exploring these together helps to develop a landscape of ethical possibilities and establish guideposts to help illuminate challenges for future RbT projects

Aesthetics · Art · Engineering ethics · Environmental ethics · Sociology · Art Therapy and Mental Health · Engineering · Music Therapy and Health · Philosophy · Theatre and Performance Studies

Tools

Open DOIOpen Access