Theatrical Flourishing

Abstract

Abstract Theater and Human Flourishing centers on theater studies informed by recent work in positive psychology with the aim of interrogating both the social good of theater and the personally restorative work of a range of live embodied performances. The contributors to this collection, all established or emerging performance scholars, build bridges toward psychology even as they center their investigations in theatrical and performance events: community theater productions, actor training, performance art, and more. It provides an introductory overview of Aristotle’s perspectives on human flourishing and theater; a review of contemporary theories of well-being within theater and performance studies, particularly the research of Jill Dolan, Susan Bennett, Martin Seligman; and brief, introductory summaries of the eleven chapters.