Youth Theatre

Drama is a tool for young people to deepen their connection to self and other, and ultimately transform their communities.

It is risky to ask students to take on this kind of work, but this risk is at the heart of youth drama. Students grow when they are stretched to the limits of their comfort zones. Nearly everything I do in the classroom or on the stage asks students to take some kind of risk. The results are powerful and open a place of hope and possibility. In this space, young people trust themselves and each other while they create, make mistakes, and fall on their faces on their way to making a piece of theatre.

It’s a crazy thing to ask young people to do. Sometimes it feels like magic. I know that it’s not. It involves a careful alchemy of structure and care. The expectations for my students are clear: in this space they become the best versions of themselves, connect to each other, and unite in creating something larger than just a scene, monologue, or play, but rather a tool to transform the world around them.

Click on the links below to learn more about some of the projects I’ve led that use drama in education as a tool for social change, empowerment, and connection.