Loyalty, longevity and a community of influence: Playmaking with urban youth

ABSTRACT This article explores the factors influencing extended commitment by urban young people to a community playmaking group. EmersonTHEATRE is a project in its fifth year of creating devised theatre with urban high school students and young adults, primarily of color, around the issues that inform their lives. This article considers the motivations of members who have been in the group for 3–5 years, including those who have maintained their membership after high school and into college. Discussion includes the importance of community, loyalty, power, and a belief in the influence of their performances on self, peers, and audience.