The undergraduate thesis attempts to explore the importance of theater in relation to teenagers. It first deals with the topic from the point of view of the relevant scientific literature, and later it relates to the plays Brainstorm and The Right to Be Human. Theater has always been credited with different meanings, functions and social roles. Recently, as social care for children and adolescents has increased, theater has also been seen as an important element in the path of growing up. Youth theater is often a medium through which teenagers are either conveyed certain moral, ethical and social norms, presented with taboo topics or introduced to great classical works. Recently, the idea that the theater for young people is primarily a space for them to express their experiences of the world and to build their identity has been associated with this vision. To this end, institutional theaters are increasingly inviting teenagers to participate. The Theater Laboratory run by the Ljubljana Puppet Theater is an example of good practice in involving teenagers in professional productions. For the past two seasons, they have staged the performances Brainstorm and The Right to Be Human. The productions were made in collaboration with teenagers between the ages of twelve and eighteen and ask some key questions for adolescents – questions referring to the relationships with their parents, their brain development, their self-image, their involvement in the socio-political sphere etc. The shows are often understood as a connecting bridge between two generations.
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