Where science and art meet. The design of a theatre workshop for active and inclusive learning

The current educational environment requires innovative methodologies to address the challenges of a constantly evolving world, fostering active and inclusive learning. The laboratory project "Chronicle of creeping feelings or everything is always already there", carried out within the Project Life Quarters of the Campania Theatre Festival, provided a concrete example of how theatrical practices can be transformed into powerful educational and transformative tools. Over an intensive 11 day course, nine students from the Master’s Degree program in Theatre, Pedagogy and Didactics at the University of Naples Suor Orsola Benincasa engaged in deep self-exploration, transforming their vulnerabilities into strengths through theatrical practices. The pilot study analysed the effectiveness of theatre in develo ping relational, socio-emotional and creative skills, highlighting the value of performative storytelling in teacher and educator training. The research aimed to investigate how theatrical and narrative practices can foster personal reflection and identity formation within an educational context. The project, based on a bioeducational approach (Frauenfelder & Santoianni, 2002), highlights the central role of the body and embodied experience in learning (Maturana & Varela, 1991). Theatre, through its multi-sensory engagement, enhances self-awareness, stimulates critical thinking (Nicholson, 2005) and fosters inclu sion, creating educational environments where emotion and learning merge into a singular, formative, and transformative experience.