1st Edition
Devising Critically Engaged Theatre with Youth The Performing Justice Project
Devising Critically Engaged Theatre with Youth: The Performing Justice Project offers accessible frameworks for devising original theatre, developing critical understandings of racial and gender justice, and supporting youth to imagine, create, and perform possibilities for a more just and equitable society.
Working at the intersections of theory and practice, Alrutz and Hoare present their innovative model for devising critically engaged theatre with novice performers. Sharing why and how the Performing Justice Project (PJP) opens dialogue around challenging and necessary topics already facing young people, the authors bring together critical information about racial and gender justice with new and revised practices from applied theatre, storytelling, theatre, and education for social change. Their curated collection of PJP "performance actions" offers embodied and reflective approaches for building ensemble, devising and performing stories, and exploring and analyzing individual and systemic oppression. This work begins to confront oppressive narratives and disrupt patriarchal systems—including white supremacy, racism, sexism, and homophobia.
Devising Critically Engaged Theatre with Youth invites artists, teaching artists, educators, and youth-workers to collaborate bravely with young people to imagine and enact racial and gender justice in their lives and communities. Drawing on examples from PJP residencies in juvenile justice settings, high schools, foster care facilities, and community-based organizations, this book offers flexible and responsive ways for considering experiences of racism and sexism and performing visions of justice.
Visit performingjusticeproject.org for additional information and documentation of PJP performances with youth.
List of Illustrations List of Performance Actions Doing Justice Author Biographies Acknowledgements Authors' Notes 1. Performing Justice Project as Critically Engaged Theatre 2. Preparing Participants and Performing Justice 3. Producing a Performing Justice Project Epilogue Appendix Index of PJP Performance Actions Index Belonging Is Political
Biography
Dr. Megan Alrutz (she/her) is a professor at the University of Texas at Austin, where she heads the Drama and Theatre for Youth and Communities area. She works nationally and internationally as a theatre-maker, as well as an applied theatre facilitator focused on gender and racial justice.
Lynn Hoare (she/her) is a nationally recognized facilitator in applied theatre, Theatre in Education, and theatre for dialogue. She is the Senior Director of School-Based Programs at Creative Action, a creative youth development organization, where she uses theatre to activate youth and communities around issues relevant to their lives.
Recipient of the 2021 Distinguished Book Award from the American Alliance for Theatre and Education!
