Eureka High Featured in New Book About Benefits of Theatre Education

Lucy Ferguson appeared in her first play when she was 7: a Parkway-Rockwood Community Education Spotlight Productions presentation of “The Wizard of Oz.”

From there, she continued taking dance, voice and acting classes, appeared in shows with regional companies and became involved in classes at Eureka High and with the Eureka Theatre Company (etc…). Now a rising junior musical theatre major at Indiana University Bloomington, Ferguson has spent a good amount of time reflecting on the positive personal and academic effects afforded to her by an upbringing on stage.

“It has made me very detail-oriented, organized, focused; I’m a very good planner,” said Ferguson, a 2022 Eureka graduate. “It’s made me realize, from a very young age, you have to work hard for what you want. I had heard from my teachers growing up that we’re the type of students who are wired differently, work harder in the classroom, are more determined and go-getters.”

Now, Ferguson and her former Eureka classmates are part of a book that delves into those topics: “Why Theatre Education Matters: Understanding Its Cognitive, Social, and Emotional Benefits,” by Dr. Thalia R. Goldstein, associate professor and director of the Applied Developmental Psychology Program at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia.

Eureka is one of five school theatre programs from around the country that Goldstein studied for the book, which comes out July 26, and the only one from a public, general education school. Goldstein and her research assistants spent a week observing Eureka theatre students and their first-year teacher, Justin Scheuer, in March 2020.

“I loved getting to watch the students at Eureka. The students were interested in theatre but weren’t required to audition to get into the school, put together a portfolio or anything like at some other schools I studied,” Goldstein said. “I was really charmed and thought the students were smart, funny and did a great job being fully invested and in it, having this sense of playfulness and being uninhibited in the best way. That was super cool.”

Scheuer first became acquainted with Goldstein’s work through her former Psychology Today blog feature “Mind on Stage” when he taught theatre in Bentonville, Arkansas. The two struck up a correspondence and, when Goldstein was searching for schools to include in her book, she thought of Scheuer and Eureka, where he was hired in the summer of 2019.

The observations consisted of a camera set up in the classroom to record each period, followed by standardized interviews with Scheuer – and the other teachers around the country – to glean more context about their methods.

“The book fits what we do extremely well,” said Scheuer, a Eureka graduate. “In our classes, we prioritize process and skill-building over product, helping students develop their unique aesthetic, gain confidence in their choices and evolve not only as performers but also as individuals. This is why I was so drawn to Dr. Goldstein's work. She is the only person I know who is looking into understanding how acting classes can benefit students socially, emotionally and cognitively.”

Goldstein said the classes she observed generally broke down into four separate sections:

• Preparation: physical, vocal and mental warm-ups;
• Generation: improvising ideas based on prompts;
• Interpretation: working on characters and scenes from scripts;
• and Reflection: walking through thought processes and critiquing what they’ve done.

Throughout, she found that students regularly exercised multiple habits of mind: tools used by successful learners that help them decide how to approach and solve problems.

“Theatre is a complex and holistic art that, when done in its entirety, we see psychological benefits for students,” Goldstein said. “Each individual habit of mind is important, but the combination, integration and engagement across the habits of mind is where theatre really has its magic for students.”

Rachel Grossman, a 2021 Eureka graduate, is a rising senior musical theatre major at Lindenwood University working with the Brownville Village Theatre in Nebraska this summer.

She appeared in her first show at Geggie Elementary as a first-grader and, like Ferguson, has a keen interest in understanding the ways in which her theatre education contributes to who she is.

“There are so many social and life skills that theatre teaches you,” Grossman said. “It’s such a collaborative artform that an actor is an individual, but they’re also a part of the whole big picture. You have to think about what the show itself is trying to do, what you’re trying to achieve by putting on the show, trying to teach the audience something and make them think.

“I’m glad this book is being written. It’s a fascinating topic that should be explored further. I remember loving and getting a lot out of that class at Eureka. I’m glad we’re going to be able to share that experience with the world.”

Scheuer said the book reinforces the notion that – instead of being an extracurricular portion of a student’s education – theatre class is a critical academic avenue.

“Dr. Goldstein's book aims to raise awareness of how important the arts are to children's development,” Scheuer said. “Luckily, at Rockwood and Eureka, we have incredibly supportive leadership that values the performing arts and theatre. I think the book will confirm what our administration and teachers have known: I hope they enjoy it.”