The history of Theatre for Social Change in Tanzania dates back to the 1970s when theatre professionals and practitioners adopted the practice from Brazilian Augusto Boal's approach of community theatre. Key pioneers included:

• Penina Mlama
• Eberhard Chambulikazi
• Godwin Kaduma
• Amandina Likhamba
• Ghonche Materego
• Juma Bakari

These practitioners applied Theatre for Development in various communities, including Mallya in Simiyu, Msoga in Pwani (Coast), and Mkambararani in Morogoro.

The TfD process involves ten sequential stages designed to identify, analyze, and solve community problems through theatre.

Step 1: Preliminaries

This is the planning stage where facilitators:

• Select the project area
• Schedule activities and prepare a budget
• Submit credentials and permits to local authorities
• Introduce the facilitation team to regional and district authorities

Step 2: Familiarisation

Facilitators visit the target community to:

• Establish social connections with community members
• Participate in activities such as sports, games, songs, and dances
• Reduce the social gap between facilitators and community members
• Gain a better understanding of the community's environment and challenges

Step 3: Data Collection

TfD relies on research to identify community issues. There are two types of data:

Primary Data: Information collected directly from the field for the first time through:

• Participant observation
• Unstructured open-ended interviews

Secondary Data: Information already collected, analyzed, and published, including:

• Historical records
• Documents and reports

Step 4: Data Analysis

This stage involves examining collected data to understand:

• Root causes of problems
• Effects of identified issues
• Possible solutions

A data analysis matrix is commonly used, as shown in the example below:

Step 5: Theatre Creation

This stage translates identified problems into theatrical performances through:

Story Development: Create stories based on true community experiences using fictitious characters and storylines (distancing approach).

Devising Theatre Performance: Select theatrical forms such as drama, dance, songs, storytelling, music, or poetry to communicate messages.

Rehearsal: Practice the performance, allowing public rehearsals for comments and criticism that improve the production.

Step 6: Theatre Performance

The performance communicates issues to the community:

• Invite stakeholders, community leaders, and relevant authorities
• Choose suitable venue and time for maximum participation
• Keep the performance brief, interactive, and engaging
• Encourage audience participation through dialogue or actions

Step 7: Post-Performance Discussion

Immediately after the performance, a forum is held to:

• Discuss issues raised in the performance
• Find collective solutions
• Propose strategies for action

A joker (moderator) facilitates the discussion using a questions-and-answers methodology, encouraging all participants—including invited guests—to respond.

Step 8: Action Plan

This tool guides the implementation of solutions:

Step 9: Implementing Suggested Actions

Facilitators help the community:

• Train members in skills needed to solve problems
• Convince development partners to take action
• Assign specific tasks to community members

Step 10: Monitoring and Evaluation

This stage tracks the implementation of activities:

• Monitoring: Systematic collection and analysis of information about progress
• Evaluation: Comparing actual impact with planned objectives
• Follow-up visits to assess whether desired social changes are achieved

Suppose a TfD workshop is conducted at a secondary school in Dodoma to address poor academic performance. Through data collection, facilitators discover that students miss lessons due to inadequate sanitation facilities. Using the TfD process:

1. Data Analysis identifies root causes: insufficient toilets and lack of clean water
2. Theatre Creation develops a short drama showing a student falling sick due to poor sanitation
3. Performance is staged for the school community
4. Post-performance discussion involves the headteacher, parents, and local government officials
5. Action Plan assigns responsibilities: parents to contribute labor, school to provide materials, district to assist with funding
6. Monitoring and Evaluation tracks whether new toilets are constructed and academic performance improves

In Tanzania, a Form 5 student might encounter Theatre for Social Change when participating in a community drama workshop organized by a local NGO in their village. For example, during a weekend youth outreach program in Mbeya, students could use TfD techniques to address issues like teenage pregnancy or poor sanitation in their community—collecting data through interviews, performing a short drama based on real experiences, and then discussing solutions with village leaders and health workers to create an action plan for improving youth health services.