DRAMA THERAPY AS A FORM OF MODERN SHAMANISM

The last few decades mark one of the most fruitful periods in the exploration of the use of drama as a therapeutic tool. The increasing interest in this field is shared by both mental health practitioners (Landy, 1986; Schattner & Courtney, 1981), and theater people (Schechner, 1973; Bentley, 1977; Simmer, 1976). Out of this effort to understand and implement the healing potential of drama, the field of drama therapy was born. At this early stage in its development, drama therapy is still in search of an identity of its own, or, if we may use another metaphor, is in a "vision quest. " Contributions to the discipline arrive from various sources (Landy, 1984), and the field appears to be open to establishing links between the theatrical and the psychological components which have conceived it. Drama therapy encompasses a variety of orientations·~from theater in education and psychodrama, to ritual therapy and anthropological theater. Because of its hybrid nature, it is not easy to condense the essence of this field into one single definition. The present author, however, ventures to offer the following: Drama therapy is the intentional use of the dramatic medium for the purposes of healing, integration and growth. In contrast to the relative "newness " of drama therapy, the beginnings of shamanism are pre~historic (Schechner, 1973). Some scholars believe shamanism was the true genesis of theater (Schechner, 1973; Cole, 1975; Kirby, 1976). If indeed theater originates out of a tradition that naturally blends both healing and theatrical elements, then the therapeutic com-