Enhancing Social Skills Through Role-Play Theatre Techniques

The mission of Adventures in Social Drama is to:

    Cultivate relationship development through Role-play Theatre Analysis (RTA); addressing problematic social issues in a safe, nurturing, creative, and nonviolent arena

Adventures in Social Drama encourages cast members to:
  • Explore challenging social issues
  • Develop a sense of self-worth
  • Establish networks that promote healthy relationships
  • Inspire multicultural and cross-generational relationships
Established in April 2007, Adventures in Social Drama (ASD) began offering drama classes to individuals with autism to enhance their social and communication skills. Today ASD addresses problematic social issues through theatre based role-play workshops to promote artistic expression and generate awareness of a wide variety of social issues including, but not limited to, ethnic, socio-economic, generational and cultural differences.

Adventures in Social Drama constructed Role-play Theatre Analysis (RTA) as a tool within a safe environment to help individuals establish healthy, meaningful relationships and achieve higher goals. Dramatic play serves as a catalyst for building community wherein participants are free to express thoughts and feelings concerning their perceptions of life and life's challenges.

Drama has the ability to...

Capture our imagination

Retell the story

Actively role-play life scenes

Validate our feelings

Explore truths through situational conflict

Why Interactive Drama?

Last year ASD reached and assisted nearly 300 individuals through Role-play Theatre Analysis. Dialogue created through RTA utilizes elements of visual and emotional awareness. RTA, coupled with the reflexive thinking process, integrates intuition, emotion, and imagination to validate others' ideas and challenge conventional wisdom; moving participants into action to become agents of change within their communities.

Participants experience familiar success while using interactive drama as the catalyst to influence and change lives. RTA enables the individual to transform their reality through the arts; leading to a healthier sense of self as the individual participants become the playwright as well as the director of their own lives.

Adventures in Social Drama accomplishments to date:

April 2011, presented role-play workshop for Risky Business conference at ISU

April 2011, presented recreational drama workshop for ITRA conference at UNI

March-April 2011, worked with North Polk Central Elementary School, drama exploration class, funded by a grant from Iowa Arts Council and a generous donor

March 2011, conducted a spring break workshop for teens on the autism spectrum and their peers, funded by a grant from Veridian Credit Union

January 2011-present, Facilitating Theatre for Social Change, funded by BRAVO Greater Des Moines

July 2010, facilitated a drama exploration class for junior high students through Johnston Community Education

June 2010, facilitated an evening drama class for Link Associates; funded in part by a grant from Iowa Arts Council

May 2010, presented before parents and educators at Champion conference

March 2010, Worked with a group of adults at Link Associates focusing on passions and exploring how to incorporate those into everyday living; funded in part by a grant from Meredith Corporation

January 2010, with Howe Elementary, procured a grant through the Iowa Arts Council to facilitate a program about cause and effect for Mrs. Lauritsen's kindergarten class

Fall 2009, contracted to work with the Chrysalis afterschool program for girls at McCombs Middle School

Summer 2009, contracted to facilitate the Smart Girls program in partnership with The Des Moines Community Playhouse.

Summer 2009, worked with a local chapter of Girl Scouts to present vignettes about relational aggression; funded in part by a grant from BRAVO Greater Des Moines.

May 12, 2009, invited to audition before the Iowa Arts Council to be on the teaching artists' roster.

May 8, 2009, presented before The Autism Society of Wisconsin's annual symposium.

January 2009, worked with a chapter of the Boys and Girls Club of Central Iowa.

Winter 2008-09, we had the opportunity to facilitate for two different Chrysalis afterschool groups (SE Polk and McCombs)

February 2008-Present, Facilitators for theatre classes at The Des Moines Playhouse (age range from 5-17): We have the opportunity to instruct individuals in these classes who are on the autism spectrum

Summer 2008-present, Childserve/Daycare for Exceptional Children: We have the opportunity to facilitate a series of exploratory drama classes for students with special needs

Co-Owners of Adventures in Social Drama:

Annie Mielke

(515) 306-0030
5201 Merced Street, Des Moines, IA, 50310

Joe Parrish