Casey at the Bat: a hybrid genre of two worlds

Abstract

ABSTRACT School art, of which performing art is one form, is a hybrid genre. It exists between educational and artistic institutions. This paper examines ways in which theatrical forms are transformed or created as they enter the embrace of the school institution. Through an in‐depth analysis of a one‐man dramatisation entitled, ‘Casey at the Bat’, the authors investigate content, performance style, and values as they are manifested in the school performance. This examination enhances understanding of what children are learning on these occasions and how this learning is orchestrated. The authors discuss the relationship between the school and art worlds, and the role and value of this hybrid genre of the art form.