The Winning Postgraduate Short Article

Abstract This article considers three essential points: the term ‘Theatre in Education (TIE) actor’ rather than ‘actor‐teacher'; the relationship actors, particularly TIE actors, have with research; and lastly, some reflections on the function of the research TIE actors do. It is intended not only to validate the importance of the research a TIE actor does, but also to try to identify some unique characteristics which may be unfamiliar to contemporary qualitative research procedures. From this a key question arises: is the research a TIE actor does different from that engaged in by any other kind of theatre actor? The response to this question begins to explore terms used by Maykut & Morehouse when defining a qualitative researcher and prompts comparisons to the language used by TIE practitioners to describe their praxis. The evolution of this ‘language of TIE creation’ appears to be strongly motivated by the collaborative nature of the research TIE practitioners (not only actors!) engage in.