Use of Actors in Learning Events

The following HR Zone Article provides a good summary of the role Actors & Forum Theatre can play in delivering engaging training & learning events.

In my experience, this approach is more widely understood and deployed in the UK than the US.

As the article highlights - the costs of using actors for 1:1 role-play are high (and can often be replaced adequately by other participants on the training course, playing the 'other' role).

I'm a fan of the (most cost effective) forum theatre approach - where scenarios can be played out based on the suggested words offered by the training class delegates (e.g. what are the actual words you would us if, as the manager, you are faced with this situation ....). Not only can this approach demonstrate different reactions you can get to the same approach (for those managers who don't vary their style depending on both the situation and person involved !), but also the scenarios can be 're-played' allowing the delegates to learn rapidly by trial and error.