A Different Kind of Community Theatre: Performance Projects with GLBT Adolescents

Freire, Michelle Ebert

Teaching Artist Journal, v5 n4 p243-252 Oct 2007

The author's training and experience in educational theatre has provided her with examples of the therapeutic power that engagement in dramatic activity can have on individuals and groups. In this article, the author reflects on empowering performance projects with gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (GLBT) teens at the Rainbow Pride Youth Alliance. The therapeutic goal of the projects are to improve self-esteem, increase interpersonal skills, and acquire collective empathy. The author also discusses the risks and rewards of working in a community-based setting.