Youth, Power, Performance

A study on empowering systemically marginalized youth through applied theater.

Drawing on over twenty years of scholarship from Diane Conrad's academic career in applied theater research with systemically marginalized youth, this book examines applied theater research conducted with youth in three specific contexts: alternative high schools, a youth jail, and street-involved youth.

By highlighting youths’ voices and youths’ creations, this book offers an introduction to the theoretical considerations for the research, suggests practical strategies for engaging with marginalized youth, and describes how the applied theater process developed. It also addresses specific considerations for working with incarcerated and Indigenous youth and explores the ethical considerations in conducting such work and the role of applied theater in social change. The book will be of interest to applied theater researchers, instructors, practitioners, students, drama teachers, and youth workers.