Theatre School students spend their days exploring their craft. Faculty teach courses on dramaturgy, theatre technology, acting techniques, history and more to provide a deep understanding of how to create thought-provoking productions. Through The Theatre School’s programming for young audiences — from preschool through high school — DePaul students are sparking inspiration for the next generation of theatre artists.
“These programs opened up so many doors for me,” says Yasmeen Abiad, a recent graduate who took courses in teaching artistry at DePaul. “I came into The Theatre School in the directing program, but teaching artistry altered my career for the better. I love stage managing, I love teaching, and I wouldn't have figured that out without these programs.”
Chicago Playworks moving series to Lincoln Park
Since its inception in 1925, Chicago Playworks has introduced thousands of local elementary and middle school students to the world of theatre. From classics like “Little Women” to this fall’s “Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed: The Rock Experience,” the series aims to spark creativity in young audiences long after the curtain drops.
“We’re seeking to tell stories that encourage young audiences to not only see themselves on stage but also see the breadth of the world beyond them,” says Reza Mirsajadi, the artistic director of Chicago Playworks. “Theatre does a wonderful job of teaching empathy. These audiences can find not only a love of performance, but also a love of the world around them.”
The Chicago Playworks series will move from the Merle Reskin Theatre in the Loop to The Theatre School’s building on the university’s Lincoln Park Campus starting in the fall of 2026, a move that Mirsajadi hopes will increase access.
“We have been grappling with how to make Playworks as accessible as possible and moving our work to campus helps to close these gaps,” Mirsajadi says. “In addition to reaching our own local community, our theatre spaces in Lincoln Park can better accommodate students with disabilities.”
The Theatre School is also in the planning phase of creating mobile productions that can bring theatre productions directly to school auditoriums.
“This type of show will revolutionize the way that we access audiences and generate more conversations with students,” Mirsajadi says. “With the current setup, students filter into buses right after the show. Performing in community with students at their schools would allow the students to get on their feet and engage more deeply with this work.”
Theatre rooted in education
The Theatre School’s youth outreach organization, Creative Root, provides an additional opportunity for DePaul students and faculty to engage with young audiences. Creative Root’s programming spans from summer camps, classes and residencies across Chicago.
“I’m both a teaching artist and a stage manager, and I’m always looking for how I can use these skills together,” says Abiad. “Teaching artistry is all about learning how to lead a room, understanding what people need and how you can best meet those needs. It involves a sense of humility, owning up to your mistakes. As a stage manager, I'm leading people through a rehearsal process, and the same tools are needed to do that effectively.”
During a residency program, DePaul students assist in weekly theatre classes in local schools, introducing students to the theatre-making process. At the end of the series, students take a field trip to see the production they’ve explored, then have one more session to reflect on their experience.
“We’re not just teaching them the story, we’re giving them a view of the magic of that creative process,” says Abiad, who earned a Theatre Arts degree in 2025. “We come into the classroom and warm up our tools – the imagination, body and voice – and explore the production, from story to the technical elements they’ll see in the theatre.”
For DePaul students learning how to teach young audiences, these are skills they can use in their careers post-graduation.
Next on the horizon, Creative Root recently received a grant from Play On Shakespeare to introduce young people to Shakespeare with classes in schools and older adult community spaces. The three-year program, launching this fall, will create intergenerational opportunities to engage with Shakespeare’s work.
For Mechelle Moe, the director of Creative Root, this expansion is a natural progression of the program’s mission.
“Theatre is inherently about human connection,” Moe says. “We’re excited to bring this work into schools and to begin expanding how we engage with older adults. This program is a first step for us, and I’m really excited about the conversation that can happen through Shakespeare. There’s something powerful about people of different generations coming together in a room. I’m especially interested in how Shakespeare’s themes land across that range of age and experience, and in learning from the depth of life experience everyone brings into the work.”