The Benefits of Teaching Drama to Adolescents Diamond Ranch Academy stands out as a therapeutic residential high school that

provides academics and extracurricular activities as well as recovery services to struggling adolescents. As part of its extensive performing arts curriculum, Diamond Ranch Academy offers dramatic arts opportunities including play production and Shakespeare studies. In addition to giving students a creative outlet for their rich emotional lives, participation in dramatic arts supports a number of essential life skills. Drama is at its core a communicative art, and as such requires students to develop effective ways of expressing themselves both to one another and to the audience. Similarly, a dramatic production requires the collaborative efforts of its entire cast and crew. A student involved in such a production learns the value of his or her part, the value of others' contributions, and the importance of cooperation. The dramatic arts also encourage self-reliance, discipline, and concentration. Young actors learn that their fellow cast members depend on them to learn their lines and deliver them at the correct time, and that coming to rehearsal unprepared can have a negative effect on the production as a whole. This is a particularly vital lesson for struggling teenagers, who often need to learn the impact that their actions have on others. Drama confers these lessons in an environment that also allows students to assert their individuality, make independent choices, and express big feelings in a safe, controlled environment.