What a splendid opportunity Professor Saldaña gives us here to help qualitative researchers learn more about the genre of research known as ethnodrama. Following his excellent overview, he provides examples of three types of reality theatre—monologue, dialogue, and ethnodramatic 'extension'—including the full text from seven of these productions. Bravo for this much needed resource.
Harry F. Wolcott, University of Oregon; (d. 2012) This is a glorious book that breaks new ground in research methodology and data representation. Effectively advancing a form of performative arts-based research, its anthology of plays illustrates a blurring of the fields of theatre and ethnography. Through powerful examples, it teaches both qualitative researchers and producers of theatre important lessons about how to entertain audiences while also informing them about important social issues.
Tom Barone, Arizona State University Overall, the ethnodramas take us on a roller-coaster ride of themes, issues and emotions that leave a lasting impression. . . Saldaña's outstanding collection will generate valuable conversation in teaching, research and theatre contexts regarding both ists contents and methods. . . the book will provide a valuable resource for my graduate arts-based research classes, and food for thought in my own quest for 'finding the proper balance between research as art and art as research'. . . . Rich with examples of high quality performative arts-based research, the book is a stimulating read—instructive and entertaining, as good theatre should be.
Stage Of The Art Journal
...[This] book is an important addition to the broad field of performance that extends into other disciplines and embraces more than aesthetic goals. Ethnodrama advocates for drama as a form of qualitative research that brings more voices to the public and as an occasion for valuable dialogue between actors and audiences.
Jan Cohen-Cruz
Forum: Qualitative Social Research
This book is long overdue. Those of us committed to the performance paradigm have not had, in a single source, a collection of ethnodramas that could be used for teaching and instruction. Saldaña's anthology gives us this book. . . .[His] magnificent introduction locates this field in its proper literatures, gives the reader a vocabulary of terms (plot, story line, dramatic structure, character, scenography) and a typology of forms. . . .Johnny Saldaña and his collaborators are to be thanked for giving us the platform from which this new form of critical qualitative inquiry can be launched.
Norman K. Denzin and Yvonna S. Lincoln