186 pages
244mm x 170mm
ISBN-10: 1 85856 322 4
ISBN-13: 978 1 85856 322 0
October 2006

Cecily O'Neill has had a formative impact on the evolution of the creative and dynamic mode of teaching called process drama. Process drama is characterised by transformatory outcomes that bring together the worlds of drama education and theatre practice.

Dorothy Heathcote and Gavin Bolton were perceived as the pioneers of a new and radical form of educational praxis, but it was O'Neill who made that praxis accessible to educators worldwide. Her work on structuring classroom drama, her writings on pretext and process drama, her studies on the imagination, multicultural education, and dramatic form have been influential throughout the UK and Europe, North America Southern Africa and Australasia. This timely book is a compilation of the formative articles of O'Neill along with significant commentaries from leaders in the field.

Structure and Spontaneity explores central questions about designing, implementing and evaluating process drama: What is the critical knowledge in process drama? How can educators structure satisfying learning experiences, which promote spontaneous encounters? And what are the theoretical principles in dramatic art that guide innovative teaching through process drama? The book will therefore be immensely valuable to drama practitioners and teacher trainers worldwide.

Dr Philip Taylor is Associate Professor in Educational Theatre at New York University.

Dr Christine D Warner is Associate Professor, Ohio State University.

'I have learnt so much from the work of Cecily O'Neill that I have really appreciated having the opportunity to read and reflect on this collection.
- Journal for Drama in Education

'At last! A book that examines the huge contribution Ceceily O'Neill has made to the world of Drama and Theatre Education. …I would recommend it to anyone who is concerned with drama as a medium for learning.' - Youth Drama Ireland