Applied Theatre with Youth
Education, Engagement, Activism
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Book Description
Applied Theatre with Youth is a collection of essays that highlight the value and efficacy of applied theatre with young people in a broad range of settings, addressing challenges and offering concrete solutions.
This book tackles the vital issues of our time—including, among others, racism, climate crisis, gun violence, immigration, and gender—fostering dialogue, promoting education, and inciting social change. The book is divided into thematic sections, each opening with an essay addressing a range of questions about the benefits, challenges, and learning opportunities of a particular type of applied theatre. These are followed by response essays from theatre practitioners, discussing how their own approach aligns with and/or diverges from that of the initial essay. Each section then ends with a moderated roundtable discussion between the essays’ authors, further exploring the themes, issues, and ideas that they have introduced.
With its accessible format and clear language, Applied Theatre with Youth is a valuable resource for theatre practitioners and the growing number of theatre companies with education and community engagement programs. Additionally, it provides essential reading for teachers and students in a myriad of fields: education, theatre, civic engagement, criminal justice, sociology, women and gender studies, environmental studies, disability studies, ethnicity and race studies.
Table of Contents
Editors’ introduction
PART 1: Engaging community: Professional theatres and youth ensembles
Initiating essay
1. Goodman Theatre: Civic practice in service of community
WILLA J. TAYLOR
Response essays
2. Playmaking through polycultural partnerships
CLARO DE LOS REYES, MARION LOPEZ, AND AMIKOGAABAWIIKWE (ADRIENNE M. BENJAMIN)
3. Unleashing the untold story: The Carpetbag Theatre Inc. and the legacy of the T.R.Y. Ensemble
JOE TOLBERT JR.
Roundtable
Roundtable discussion with Amikogaabawiikwe (Adrienne Benjamin), Chris Ceraso, Claro de los Reyes, Marion Lopez, Willa J. Taylor, and Joe Tolbert Jr.
PART 2: Bridging divides: Artistic residencies in schools
Initiating essay
4. Seeing plays and writing plays: Pathways to understanding
DAVID SHOOKHOFF
Response essays
5. “Telling our own story”: Using digital storytelling to re-design education with Texas and Alaska youth
KATHRYN DAWSON
6. A translanguaging stance on theatre education
SINDY ISABEL CASTRO
Roundtable
Roundtable discussion with Sindy Isabel Castro, Chris Ceraso, Kathryn (Katie) Dawson, and David Shookhoff
PART 3: Reframing narratives: Strategies for re-envisioning education
Initiating essay
7. Neighborhood bridges: Rehearsing transformations in the classroom and beyond
MARIA ASP, SONJA KUFTINEC, AND JACK ZIPES
Response essays
8. Room to play: An exploration of resources and youth agency
LIZ FOSTER-SHANER
9. A tale of telling some truths to power
JESSICA “DECKY” ALEXANDER
Roundtable
Roundtable discussion with Jessica “Decky” Alexander, Maria Asp, Lisa S. Brenner, Liz Foster-Shaner, Sonja Kuftinec, and Jack Zipes
PART 4: Fostering agency: Social justice programs in urban and rural settings
Initiating essay
10. From vision to implementation: Re-examining essential practices for applied theatre with youth
JOSHUA RASHON STREETER AND NICOLE OLUSANYA
11. A process-oriented approach in applied theatre programming with youth
RACHEL DESOTO-JACKSON
Response essays
12. Listen to us! Teenage girls creating theatre for social change
DANA EDELL, LEONOR DURAN, AND KUENIQUE ALLICOCK
Roundtable
Roundtable discussion with Kuenique Allicock, Evelyn Diaz Cruz, Rachel DeSoto-Jackson, Leonor (Leo) Duran, Dana Edell, Nicole Olusanya, and Joshua Rashon Streeter
PART 5: Celebrating identities: Spaces to express gender and sexuality
Initiating essay
13. Queering applied theatre: Working with LGBTQ youth to dismantle systems of oppression
ALEXANDER SANTIAGO-JIRAU
Response essays
14. Rehearsing for life: HOPE IS VITAL, FYI, sexuality education for youth
NIK ZALESKI AND MICHAEL ROHD
15. Staging generations of queer history
MEGAN CARNEY, WITH CONTRIBUTIONS FROM DONNY ACOSTA AND SHARON PASIA
Roundtable
Roundtable discussion with Lisa S. Brenner, Megan Carney, Michael Rohd, Alexander (Alex) Santiago-Jirau, and Nik Zaleski
PART 6: Embodying heritage: Residencies with Indigenous and immigrant youth
Initiating essay
16. Laughter, healing, and belonging: Cada quien tiene su lugar
MACEDONIO ARTEAGA JR. AND ALICIA CHAVEZ-ARTEAGA
Response essays
17. Ax X’oos Shaxwatíx: My feet are firmly planted
VERA STARBARD (TLINGIT/DENA’INA)
18. Tricksterism in translation
ANDRÉS MUNAR
Roundtable
Roundtable discussion with Macedonio Arteaga Jr., Alicia Chavez-Arteaga, Evelyn Diaz Cruz, Vera Starbard, and Andrés Munar
PART 7: Promoting equity: Practices for working with youth and disabilities
Initiating essay
19. Our story: How Nicu’s Spoon fosters representation, access, and inclusion for youth with disabilities
STEPHANIE BARTON-FARCAS
Response essays
20. Inclusive theatre as drama therapy
SALLY BAILEY
21. Where we do the things they think we can’t: The Pegasus Ensemble
SCOTT S. TURNER
Roundtable
Roundtable discussion with Sally Bailey, Stephanie Barton-Farcas, Evelyn Diaz Cruz, and Scott S. Turner
PART 8: Amplifying voices: Process and production with justice-involved youth
Initiating essay
22. Stargate: A theatre company of imagination, hope, life skills, and quality art for justice-involved young men
JUDY K. TATE
Response essays
23. The value of process: Creating theatre with incarcerated youth
ERIN R. KAPLAN
24. Voices beyond bars: Art as a means of self-expression for incarcerated youth
JOANNE SEELIG LAMPARTER
Roundtable
Roundtable discussion with Chris Ceraso, Erin R. Kaplan, Joanne Seelig Lamparter, and Judy K. Tate
PART 9: Igniting activism: Performance and protest with youth
Initiating essay
25. Young Women’s Voices for Climate
BETH OSNES, SARAH FAHMY, CHELSEA HACKETT, AND LIANNA NIXON
Response essays
26. The voters are coming: Moment Work and the national #HereToo Project
BARBARA PITTS McADAMS
27. Speak About It: Social scripts for consent and healthy relationships
OLIVIA HARRIS
Roundtable
Roundtable discussion with Lisa S. Brenner, Sarah Fahmy, Olivia Harris, Chelsea Hackett, Beth Osnes, and Barbara (Barb) Pitts McAdams
Editor(s)
Biography
Lisa S. Brenner is a professor of theatre at Drew University, where she teaches dramaturgy, theatre history, and applied theatre. Her theatre experience includes dramaturgy, devising, directing, and playwriting.
Chris Ceraso is professor of theatre at Drew University, where he teaches acting, devising, and applied theatre. His theatre experience includes acting and playwriting, as well as writing for television and film.
Evelyn Diaz Cruz is a professor of theatre at the University of San Diego, where she teaches playwriting, acting, theatre of diversity, and theatre and community. Her theatre experience includes playwriting, directing, and acting.