Playbuilding

Playbuilding is a process in which a group of researchers or actors uses dramatic techniques in all stages of the research process. It has a unique method of performance generation and style of production that differs from a variety of existing theatrical research presentations including readers theater and ethnodrama. Robert Donmoyer and June Yennie-Donmoyer translate traditionally collected data into a readers theater format that is usually performed live. In this theatrical genre, a narrator reads descriptions with analysis and a number of others read edited verbatim transcriptions from research participants.

Ethnodrama employs more theatrical techniques than readers theater. Matt Myer uses staged readings with minimalist sets to present research findings. Jim Mienczakowski and Johnny Saldaña's productions contain more elaborate dramatic action with the presenters or actors having their lines memorized. All four researchers have strong dramatic backgrounds, and in every case, they adapt traditional qualitative data into theatrical forms of dissemination.

Joe Norris, who also had roots in both theatre and qualitative research, takes a different approach. Using a Canadian theatrical genre called collective creation, more widely known as playbuilding, he integrates theatrical techniques throughout the entire research process of generating, interpreting, and presenting the data. The performed scenes are not adapted from other texts; rather, they are the texts themselves. Norris along with Donmoyer considers scene (readers theater) construction as a simultaneous means of data collection, analysis, and dissemination.