November 10, 2025
Dr. George Belliveau shares how research-based theatre, from veterans’ stories to global collaborations, is transforming our understanding of trauma, healing and the human experience.
Dr. George Belliveau is a professor in UBC’s Faculty of Education and a global leader in research-based theatre – an innovative approach that utilizes theatrical methods to conduct research and communicate findings through workshops and performances. Dr. Belliveau’s work brings together artistic expression and scholarly inquiry to address complex issues across diverse disciplines, including education, healthcare, identity, displacement and climate sustainability.
Among his most powerful collaborations is Contact! Unload, a theatrical production co-created with veterans, counsellors and artists. Through theatre and storytelling, the play depicts the often-unseen challenges of transitioning from military to civilian life. The show has toured internationally, including a performance for Prince Harry in London, and aspects of the production may soon be reimagined on film.
How has your research-based theatre work helped veterans engage with remembrance and healing?
This work has shown me that remembrance and healing are deeply connected, ongoing processes. Performing or witnessing veterans’ stories on stage is a way for them to move from cycles of trauma toward new, more positive narratives.
Through storytelling, they can reframe their experiences and release some of their ‘baggage’ — not by erasing the past, but by learning to live with it in a different way. Seeing their stories reflected on stage offers affirmation and validation: my story matters; I’m not alone. That recognition and sense of connection open space for emotions beyond anger or stoicism, allowing for a wider spectrum of feelings.
Working alongside veterans reshaped my understanding of remembrance. They weren’t only honouring fallen colleagues, but revisiting parts of themselves from their time in service. This includes the traumas they survived, as well as the wonderful camaraderie, discipline and sense of purpose they shared. The rhythms of theatrical rehearsal and performance, in many ways, echoed those experiences, turning remembrance into both a collective and deeply personal act —a way to honour others while reclaiming one’s own identity through story.
“The most meaningful work happens in that middle space where art and research meet — a space of trust, negotiation and shared meaning. It’s in these in-between places, where uncertainty resides and the richest insights emerge. “
Soldiers are trained for physical risk — how does emotional risk factor into this work?
For many veterans, stepping into a performance is a new kind of risk — emotional rather than physical, but with stakes that can feel just as high. In the military, you’re trained to hide fear and vulnerability; in theatre, you have to do the opposite — open up and be seen. That’s a profound challenge for those who’ve spent years containing emotion.
Prince Harry congratulating the cast after their performance in London
In our workshops, we focus on emotional exploration along with safety. The goal isn’t to relive trauma, but to reframe it — to remember, honour, and find new ways of understanding those experiences. The process can be as demanding as any physical endeavour.
For example, when veterans performed for Prince Harry, they felt their hearts race and adrenaline surge — not from danger, but from the weight of wanting to honour their stories to another soldier (with royal lineage). That kind of vulnerability requires a different type of courage: not surviving a physical threat, but revealing a personal truth. It’s powerful to witness, and it’s where some of the most profound transformations occur.
What have you learned from audiences?
I’ve learned how much the physical space matters. Performing in armouries or other military venues felt completely different from performing in theatres. The moment people walked in, the atmosphere, the sense of place and the memories embedded there all carried meaning. For veterans, familiar settings felt respectful and grounding; for civilians, they provided context and a glimpse into a world they might not otherwise know.
I also learned that the work can sometimes be difficult for audiences to connect with. The first version of Contact! Unload featured six veterans sharing powerful, heartfelt stories. Even with moments of humour, some civilians found it overwhelming. We later created a shorter version with just two central characters: a veteran and a civilian, which was more accessible. When that balance is found, the work truly connects.
Why is theatre such a powerful way to engage with research?
At its core, research-based theatre humanizes data. In fields like education, health and the social sciences, human experiences are often reduced to charts and graphs. The arts bring those voices, emotions and lived realities back into focus.
We’re not just analyzing information, but engaging with it— a shared, participatory process where everyone contributes to the learning. Through embodiment, participants can uncover new insights that might never have emerged from interviews or surveys. Fiction and metaphor provide a distance, allowing people to share deeply without feeling overexposed.
Ultimately, research-based theatre fosters connection. It reminds us that knowledge isn’t just studied — it’s lived.
What challenges come with doing this kind of work?
A major challenge is balancing the science and the art — staying true to the research while creating something that resonates theatrically. Lean too far toward art and accuracy can slip; too literal, and the work loses its dramatic life.
There’s also an ethical responsibility in representing others’ voices. When stories come from real people — especially those from communities different from our own — we must approach them with intention, care and transparency. That means clarifying who’s being represented, or when a role is interpretive. The goal is always to honour, not stereotype or distort.
For me, the most meaningful work happens in that middle space where art and research meet — a space of trust, negotiation and shared meaning. It’s in these in-between places, where uncertainty resides and the richest insights emerge. When we hold space for both what we know and what we don’t, we come closest to the essence of human stories.
What excites you about the future of this field?
I am inspired by how research-based theatre is now being embraced across so many disciplines. When I started, it was primarily rooted in education and health; now it’s happening across the social sciences, nursing, engineering and even law. People are recognizing how the arts can open ways of understanding and communicating research that traditional methods can’t always achieve.
It’s equally exciting to see the work spreading internationally. Through workshops, collaborations and publications, colleagues in Hong Kong, Australia, Boston, France and Norway are adapting and reshaping this methodology — not just replicating it, but expanding, questioning and making it their own. That tells me the field is alive and growing.
And then there’s the impact: a live performance can move people in ways a journal article can’t. In a single show, hundreds may share that experience in real time. That’s knowledge mobilization in action — art as research, research as art — a living, evolving process. That sense of global connection and movement gives me real hope for the future.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
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