Creativity, Communication and Leadership through Narrative: Review of The Story Cookbook: Practical Recipes for Change by Andrew Rixon and Cathryn Lloyd. Cambridge Scholars Publishing. 2019.

Abstract

As an actor-turned-university-acting-teacher, I've participated in and led my fair share of theater and improvisation games. When I facilitate theater-based work for non-theater folks, I begin by spelling out how theater games will boost collaboration and creativity, develop individual soft skills and leadership competencies, and improve group dynamics. In other words, I articulate my relevance. The Story Cookbook: Practical Recipes for Change, a wonderfully digestible beginnerâs guide to facilitating story-based applied theater and improvisation games in corporate settings, begins in the same way, by explaining the importance of narrative in communication, mutual understanding, collaboration, and leadership. I regret that introducing exercises on storytelling from performing arts traditions always requires such an extensive justificatory prologue, and I often ask myself why this is.