Performing Justice Project
What is PJP?
The Performing Justice Project (PJP) engages young people in ensemble-devised theatre and performance to explore identity-based oppression and envision the creation of a more just society.
The Method
PJP teaching artists use PERFORMANCE ACTIONS, or theatre strategies that are facilitated specifically through the lens of performing gender and racial justice. Performance actions invite young people to:
To name who they are
To explore constructs of gender, race, and power
To create justice-oriented performance
For more information please click the link below to check out the PJP book by authors Dr. Megan Alrutz and Lynn Hoare. The Book also features an essay titled , Doing Justice: Pushing Past Fear and Asking the Tough Questions written by myself, and my collaborative partner Laura Epperson.
Reflecting on Past PJP Residencies
Reflecting on our Performing Justice Project in Warsaw
I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to work with a remarkable ensemble of young artists from across Poland, collaborating on a Performing Justice Project focused on disability justice. This project made possible through partnerships with my amazing CIPJ team, Fundacja Kulawa Warszawa, and the U.S. Embassy in Warsaw, allowed us to explore the profound themes of access, identity, and justice through the lens of theatre and performance.
Together, we delved into what it means to create spaces of accessibility and to build a community that honors diverse needs, perspectives, and ways of being. Our time together reminded me of the transformative power of collaborative art-making—where deep listening and mutual support challenge both societal norms and our assumptions.
Directing and facilitating this project wasn’t just a professional highlight, it was a deeply personal journey of growth, learning, and joy. The process reinforced for me how art can be a gateway to reflection and action, especially when it comes to building the equitable world we all hope to see.
I’m filled with gratitude for the talented ensemble, the incredible team at Kulawa Warszawa, and all the individuals who made this experience so meaningful. I look forward to continuing this vital work and shaping art that reflects the world we aspire to create.
Check out the performance program here!
Song written by Gosia Lipka
Recipe for Resistance - Clip of a performance by Weronika, Lizzie, Gabby, and Kacper.
Virtual Performing Justice Project with Wheelock Family Theatre
From February to April 2021, Laura Epperson and I had the privilege of partnering with Wheelock Family Theatre to design, direct, and produce a virtual Performing Justice Project. Collaborating with Wheelock’s Youth Advisory Council, we worked with a talented ensemble of young people (ages 13-21), meeting twice a week for six weeks.
Together, we devised an original performance titled A Play on Words, which captured their collective vision of a liberated world. The creativity, passion, and insights from these young voices made this project a powerful exploration of justice, equity, and the possibilities of a brighter future.
Please click the image above to watch “Daily Movements” an excerpt from A Play on Words. Devised and performed by the Wheelock Family Theatre Youth Advisory Council.
Song: “Girls Like You” by Vitamin String Quartet
To view the full performance of A Play On Words, please follow this link and use the password WFTPJP21!
A Dual Residency Journey
In the summer of 2019, Throughout a 3-week intensive, our ensemble met daily, Monday through Friday, for three hours each day. Together, we devised an original performance that fearlessly explored themes of gender and racial justice. The creativity, vulnerability, and commitment of the young artists involved made this an unforgettable and transformative experience.
Building on the success of that summer, we returned in the fall of 2019 for a 13-week PJP residency, during which the ensemble developed Our Voice: Imagining A New World. This piece, entirely devised by the ensemble, was a powerful reflection on justice and liberation, brought to life by a diverse group of passionate and engaged young artists.
This dual-residency project holds a special place in my heart, as it marked the first time I fully devised and led a PJP residency. The experience remains one of the most meaningful projects of my career.
