Drama for Life

Drama for Life Drama for Life’s conceptual basis of Applied Drama is rooted in the indigenous history of Theatre for Development in Africa. Master of Arts in Drama Therapy
6.

Drama for Life, based at the University of the Witwatersrand, is an academic research department for social transformation and healing in and through Applied Arts, Arts Therapies and Arts Research. Drama for Life| The Wits School of Arts| University of the Witwatersrand|

Department of Postgraduate Studies in Applied Drama and Theatre, Performance Studies and Performance Ethnography, Drama Educat

ion, and Drama Therapy. Drama for Life is internationally recognized as representative of the University of the Witwatersrand’s unique postgraduate academic, research and community engagement division that brings together the disciplines of Applied Drama, Drama Education and Drama Therapy within the context of a critical reflexive praxis. Our ethos is driven by the key question: What does it mean to be human and how can we learn to be resilient, without compromising our humanity, as we engage with the enormous challenges of change in the 21st century? Our study of this discipline, through the lens of power, pedagogy and praxis, is a critical inquiry into the theories and practice of development, education and therapeutic drama approaches toward social behavior change, within a human rights and social justice discourse, in urban and rural communities impacted by psychosocial trauma, economic and educational impoverishment, global cultural and climate challenges. Drama for Life’s inclusion of Drama Education is a deliberate acknowledgment of the significant role of the drama practitioner who uses drama as an educational methodology; the drama practitioner who facilitates theatre-making as an educational strategy; and the drama practitioner who teaches drama as a subject. Drama for Life is the only university programme in Africa that offers a recognised professional qualification in Drama Therapy with Health Professional Council accreditation. Drama Therapy is the intentional and systematic use of drama and theatre processes to achieve the therapeutic goals of symptom relief, emotional, cognitive and physical integration, and personal growth. Drama for Life offers the following Postgraduate qualifications:

1. Postgraduate Diploma in Arts in the field of Applied Drama and Theatre
2. Bachelor of Arts with Honours in the field of Applied Drama: Theatre in Education, Communities, and Social Contexts
3. Bachelor of Arts with Honours in the field of Drama Therapy
4. Master of Arts in Applied Drama: Theatre in Education, Communities, and Social Contexts
5. Master of Arts by Creative Research or Dissertation
7. PhD by Creative Research or Dissertation

Drama for Life’s objective is to educate professional artists, therapists, facilitators, and educators in arts for social transformation. Drama for Life is committed to the education of professionals who are research active, who understand what it means to be resilient care-givers, creators and leaders, who embody and execute ethical practice, and who understand, harness and implement collaborative, systemic arts interventions in education, development and, or health that are effective, affective and sustainable. For more information visit www.dramaforlife.co.za

Contact: Omphemetse Mokgosi, Programme Manager (Student Recruitment, Welfare & Scholarships) omphemetse.mokgosi@wits.ac.za and at dfl.info@wits.ac.za. Phone: +2711-717-4755

Our awesome staff congregated for a final meeting before the beginning of the new semester.Dreams were named, intention...
24/07/2025


Our awesome staff congregated for a final meeting before the beginning of the new semester.

Dreams were named, intentions were set, synergy through fun was rebuilt, and Pecha Kucha presentations were given.

The time to teach is now, and our staff has been ready since!






We take this opportunity to celebrate our Drama for Life graduates for their respective achievements hailing from persis...
21/07/2025

We take this opportunity to celebrate our Drama for Life graduates for their respective achievements hailing from persistent hard work, dedication, and diligence.

We wish you all well in your next season and will be rooting for you all the way!
We see you.

"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams."






We have new course dates for the upcoming, in-person accredited short courses at Drama for Life, Wits University. Starti...
07/07/2025

We have new course dates for the upcoming, in-person accredited short courses at Drama for Life, Wits University. Starting with 'The Introduction to Playback Theatre Short Course'!

DATES: 1, 2, 3, 8, 9, and 10 August 2025.
COST: R5175.00
COURSE REQUIREMENTS: Matric certificate and experience in the arts and/or community work.

Please submit a 200-word motivation/expression of interest for attending the course directly to the trainers: Cherae Halley halleycherae@gmail.com and Tarryn Lee tarrynelee@gmail.com






We are happy to announce that applications for 2026 are open and encourage you to start applying now! Drama for Life boa...
03/07/2025

We are happy to announce that applications for 2026 are open and encourage you to start applying now!

Drama for Life boasts award-winning flagship programmes that collectively cover arts therapies, Applied Drama and Theatre, arts in education, community outreach, and much more!

If you require any more information, please email info.dfl@wits.ac.za or Tshego at omphemetse.mokgosi@wits.ac.za or you can drop us a dm, and we'll get back to you as soon as we can.






WE ARE PALESTINE!
07/06/2025

WE ARE PALESTINE!


Drama for Life in solidarity with the Freedom Flotilla and the March to break the humanitarian aid blockade. !
06/06/2025

Drama for Life in solidarity with the Freedom Flotilla and the March to break the humanitarian aid blockade. !

REKINDLING CRITICAL CONVERSATIONS - Creating a Child-Centred SocietyDrama for Life welcomes back and readies to host the...
03/06/2025

REKINDLING CRITICAL CONVERSATIONS - Creating a Child-Centred Society

Drama for Life welcomes back and readies to host the South African artist team of, Pertunia Msani and Hamish Mabala Neill, on their return tour from the final three-week rehearsal intensive of the The Childhood Project: Guardian of the Gods, happening in Diyarbakir, Turkey.

Building on our major collaborations in 2018 and 2019 with renowned Swedish children’s theatre company, the latest Guardian of the Gods production sees yet another other co-creative project involving 11 countries and over 22 artists committed to creating a new children’s theatre work that prioritises the valuing, well-being, and freedom of children.

The uniting intention for the work is the question - ‘What unites children all over the world: who live in a world controlled by adults?’ Gustav Deinoff, UNGA KLARA (Sweden).

The South Africa leg of the Guardians of the God world tour will see a series of engagements with local partners. Each tour stop will be curated to ensure children and the adults who directly interact with them receive a specific experience.

On DFL’s collaboration in this first of its kind global children’s theatre project, Linda Mdena Thibedi, Drama for Life HoD, says: _“our commitment to arts for social transformation and healing, through Applied Drama/Theatre, Drama Therapy, and creative work, means being part of this major cross-national collaboration is key. In our world right now, consumed by war and conflict, and in our own context where youths access to safety and education is under-delivered, creating work that places children first is so important…”

Track our social media pages for updates on showings!

As tributes and personal recollections continue to pour out for Ntate Thatanelo David April, we are struck again and aga...
14/05/2025

As tributes and personal recollections continue to pour out for Ntate Thatanelo David April, we are struck again and again at just how significant a loss this is for us all.

As many have shared and recounted, along with his undeniable talent and commitment to dance and education, what remains with us all is his touch. David’s ability to stay authentic, see you, and always have something to pour into one’s life. These were his indelible marks.

Our loss within the art and culture sector AND the academic space, is not merely about the brilliance of talent and skill now at rest, but more importantly, at how he modelled being a leader in both sectors with such authenticity and gentle power - as only David could. Few can top the humanity of Thataleno David April. Rest well. We will miss you dearly. May we continue to make our spaces as open, authentic and brilliant as you did.

We continue to share our deepest condolences to the family and with our peers across the sectors.

STARTING TODAY:DFL is working with Theatre Duo to facilitate some post-performance dialogues as a way to enhance the eng...
09/04/2025

STARTING TODAY:

DFL is working with Theatre Duo to facilitate some post-performance dialogues as a way to enhance the engagement with the work and content of “The Fall”.

Running in the evenings from 9 April to 4 May, there will be selected post-show and curated engagements where DFL facilitators will be holding and guiding dialogues as the production seeks to address the layers of impact - both past and present - that derived from the initial and movements.

Link for tickets: https://www.webtickets.co.za/v2/event.aspx?itemid=1564235920

Since the news of Athol Fugard’s passing on 5 March 2025, along with the theatre fraternity, nation and world, we have b...
14/03/2025

Since the news of Athol Fugard’s passing on 5 March 2025, along with the theatre fraternity, nation and world, we have been in deep reflection on the loss of such a significant figure.

As tributes pour out over our theatre and literary giant, we too acknowledge the landmark work and words co-crafted by Athol Fugard. Much of what informs and shapes our work and pedagogy at Drama for Life draws inspiration from the way Fugard and his contemporaries understood and mastered how theatre is used to make political comment, inspire humanity and effect change.

As we join the global celebration of the life, work and impact of Athol Fugard, we hold these words of his in mind as a guiding light:

“Theatre will never, and never has, gotten audiences like film. But theatre goes to work on society in a different and more subversive way.” ~ Athol Fugard

A Mighty Tree has fallen.

Photo: Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Meet our new leadership team! We wish them all the best as they ground us in vision and purpose.
13/02/2025

Meet our new leadership team! We wish them all the best as they ground us in vision and purpose.

"The Amazing Race" to get to know our campus! Nothing like the potential of a prize to get the competitive spirits going...
13/02/2025

"The Amazing Race" to get to know our campus! Nothing like the potential of a prize to get the competitive spirits going. Congrats to the winning team!

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Drama for Life | The Wits School of Arts | University of the Witwatersrand| Department of Applied Arts, Arts Therapies and Arts Research. Drama for Life is internationally recognized as representative of the University of the Witwatersrand’s unique postgraduate academic, research and community engagement division that brings together the disciplines of Applied Drama, Drama Education and Drama Therapy within the context of a critical reflexive praxis. Our ethos is driven by the key question: What does it mean to be human and how can we learn to be resilient, without compromising our humanity, as we engage with the enormous challenges of change in the 21st century? Drama for Life’s conceptual basis of Applied Drama is rooted in the indigenous history of Theatre for Development in Africa. Our study of this discipline, through the lens of power, pedagogy and praxis, is a critical inquiry into the theories and practice of development, education and therapeutic drama approaches toward social behavior change, within a human rights and social justice discourse, in urban and rural communities impacted by psychosocial trauma, economic and educational impoverishment, global cultural and climate challenges. Drama for Life’s inclusion of Drama Education is a deliberate acknowledgment of the significant role of the drama practitioner who uses drama as an educational methodology; the drama practitioner who facilitates theatre-making as an educational strategy; and the drama practitioner who teaches drama as a subject. Drama for Life is the only university programme in Africa that offers a recognised professional qualification in Drama Therapy with Health Professional Council accreditation. Drama Therapy is the intentional and systematic use of drama and theatre processes to achieve the therapeutic goals of symptom relief, emotional, cognitive and physical integration, and personal growth. Drama for Life offers the following Postgraduate qualifications: 1. Postgraduate Diploma in Arts in the field of Applied Drama and Theatre 2. Bachelor of Arts with Honours in the field of Applied Drama: Theatre in Education, Communities, and Social Contexts 3. Bachelor of Arts with Honours in the field of Drama Therapy 4. Master of Arts in Applied Drama: Theatre in Education, Communities, and Social Contexts 5. Master of Arts in Drama Therapy 6. Master of Arts by Creative Research or Dissertation 7. PhD by Creative Research or Dissertation Drama for Life’s objective is to educate professional artists, therapists, facilitators, and educators in arts for social transformation. Drama for Life is committed to the education of professionals who are research active, who understand what it means to be resilient care-givers, creators and leaders, who embody and execute ethical practice, and who understand, harness and implement collaborative, systemic arts interventions in education, development and, or health that are effective, affective and sustainable. For more information visit www.dramaforlife.co.za Contact: Student Recruitment, Welfare & Scholarships office 0027 (011) 717 4755