Integrity in IB Theatre: Authentic Performance and Ethical Collaboration

Introduction: The Honesty Behind Every Performance

Theatre is about truth — truth in movement, emotion, and storytelling. In IB Theatre, integrity transforms performance into art and collaboration into trust. Every actor, designer, and director must ensure their creative work reflects originality, respect, and ethical awareness.

The IB Theatre Guide (IBO, 2023) reminds students that “academic honesty and ethical theatre-making are central to collaboration and artistic reflection.” This means producing your own interpretations, crediting sources, and respecting cultural and creative ownership.

This guide explores how IB Theatre students can uphold integrity through original performance, ethical teamwork, and reflective creative practice.

Quick Start Checklist: Integrity in IB Theatre

• Develop your own original performances and interpretations.
• Credit all source texts, practitioners, and collaborators.
• Avoid copying or misrepresenting others’ creative work.
• Reflect honestly on process and performance outcomes.
• Respect cultural contexts and sensitivities.
• Follow IB academic honesty and ethical performance guidelines.

Integrity gives performance its emotional truth — without it, theatre becomes imitation.

Understanding Integrity in Theatre

Integrity in IB Theatre combines artistic authenticity, collaborative ethics, and academic honesty.
It means:

1. Authentic creation: Producing original performances and interpretations.
2. Respectful collaboration: Giving fair credit to everyone involved.
3. Ethical reflection: Discussing creative influences and decisions truthfully.

As theatre pioneer Constantin Stanislavski taught, “Love the art in yourself, not yourself in the art.” Integrity keeps that love genuine.

Originality in Performance and Directing

IB Theatre encourages students to interpret works creatively — not replicate them.
To maintain originality:

• Create unique interpretations of scripts or devised pieces.
• Avoid imitating professional performances or published direction.
• Acknowledge inspiration from other productions.
• Reflect on your personal creative vision in your portfolio.
• Keep rehearsal notes showing your independent development.

Original theatre-making turns influence into innovation — integrity fuels both.

Ethical Collaboration in Theatre-Making

Theatre is inherently collaborative, but integrity ensures fairness and mutual respect.

• Define roles clearly: actor, director, designer, or dramaturg.
• Give equal credit to all collaborators in program notes and reflections.
• Obtain consent before filming or sharing performances.
• Respect intellectual ownership of shared ideas.
• Maintain professionalism in group feedback and conflict resolution.

Integrity in collaboration creates trust — the true foundation of ensemble work.

Avoiding Plagiarism and Artistic Misrepresentation

Plagiarism in theatre can happen when students present others’ creative ideas or text without credit.
Avoid this by:

• Citing all practitioners, theorists, and source plays used.
• Acknowledging borrowed movement, text, or staging ideas.
• Writing your own reflective statements and analyses.
• Avoiding the reuse of scripts or monologues from prior productions.

Integrity honors both the original artist and your evolution as one.

Respecting Cultural and Social Contexts

Theatre often engages with complex social and cultural issues — integrity demands sensitivity.

• Research cultural contexts thoroughly before performing.
• Avoid cultural appropriation in costuming, accents, or gestures.
• Seek permission or guidance when adapting traditional works.
• Portray communities and stories authentically and respectfully.
• Reflect on how your identity and perspective influence your interpretation.

Cultural integrity deepens performance — making empathy part of the art.

Using Technology and AI Responsibly in Theatre

Digital tools are useful in design and documentation, but ethics still apply.

• Use video editing or lighting software only for showcasing original work.
• Avoid AI to generate scripts, designs, or evaluations.
• Credit digital assets or templates used in projections or visuals.
• Ensure all work shown represents your own creative contribution.

Technology can support storytelling — but integrity ensures you remain the storyteller.

Honest Reflection and Evaluation

Reflection is central to IB Theatre — it demonstrates growth, not perfection.
To reflect with integrity:

• Write in your own words, describing real challenges and discoveries.
• Avoid exaggerating your understanding or outcomes.
• Include evidence of process: rehearsal logs, sketches, or director’s notes.
• Acknowledge feedback and how it shaped your work.

Honesty in reflection shows courage — it turns experience into learning.

Avoiding Collusion and Over-Assistance

Collaboration differs from collusion. To maintain academic integrity:

• Work collaboratively during rehearsals but submit individual reflections.
• Credit any guidance from teachers or mentors.
• Avoid using others’ research or reflections in your portfolio.
• Keep drafts to demonstrate your independent thinking.

Your portfolio should tell your creative story — integrity makes it believable.

Ethical Use of Practitioner Influence

IB Theatre encourages studying key practitioners — but their influence must be credited.

• Cite practitioners like Brecht, Artaud, Boal, or Grotowski when applying their theories.
• Avoid presenting practitioner techniques as your own inventions.
• Reflect on how their ideas informed your artistic decisions.
• Credit all quotes, rehearsal exercises, and stylistic choices.

Acknowledging influence strengthens your artistic voice — not diminishes it.

How RevisionDojo Supports Theatre Integrity

RevisionDojo helps IB Theatre students balance creativity with ethics through:

• Guides on honest reflective writing and practitioner application.
• Tutorials on collaboration, crediting, and ethical ensemble work.
• Lessons on authentic cultural representation and performance ethics.
• Examples of high-scoring portfolios that prioritize integrity and originality.

With RevisionDojo, students perform with purpose — and reflect with authenticity.

Conclusion: Integrity Is Theatre’s True Character

Theatre mirrors humanity — and integrity mirrors truth.
In IB Theatre, every performance, collaboration, and reflection should represent respect: for the art, for others, and for yourself.

Integrity transforms performance into connection, and connection into meaning.
In the spotlight, honesty shines brightest.

RevisionDojo Call to Action

Perform authentically. Collaborate ethically.
Join RevisionDojo to master reflective theatre-making, original performance, and ethical collaboration — the pillars of integrity in IB Theatre.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What counts as plagiarism in IB Theatre?
Copying scripts, direction, or movement without credit — or using others’ reflective writing — violates IB integrity standards.

2. Can I collaborate with others?
Yes, but document your individual role clearly and credit all collaborators fairly.

3. How should I use theatre practitioners in my work?
Study and apply their techniques ethically, always acknowledging influence in your portfolio.

4. Can I use AI for documentation or design?
Only for formatting or organization — not for creative generation. Disclose any AI use.

5. How does RevisionDojo promote theatre integrity?
RevisionDojo provides ethical frameworks for creative collaboration, reflection, and performance — helping students embody integrity both onstage and off.