Applied theatre in corporate training

Purpose: This article aims to be a synthesis among the latest learning and development books as well as academic journals across organizational behaviour, educational theatre, drama therapy, and performance studies. It pinpoints five management-related competencies that the new trend of applied theatre in corporate training can facilitate. Design/methodology/approach: This briefing is prepared by an Asian practitioner-performer-scholar who identifies and distils knowledge in Western interdisciplinary contexts. Findings: This article concludes that applied theatre can be a new concept and methodology for corporate training to enhance the main competencies in business settings - leadership, communication, creativity, team building, and emotion management. Practical implications - This study provides a conceptual foundation and practical language for human resource and training professionals as well as company directors who choose and evaluate training methodology. Originality/value: This briefing links theory with practice as well as connecting academia to industry. It saves busy businesspeople's and researchers' time to integrate multiple-fielded knowledge by presenting it in an insightful and single-minded format.