Writing + Research
“I want better metaphors. I want better stories. I want more openness. I want better questions. All these things feel like they give us tools that are a little more commensurate with the amazing possibilities and the terrible realities that we face."
— Rebecca Solnit
Current project
DAYBREAK
an exploration of awe
a new play by Erin Lekovic & Jacob Watson
songs by Laura Stratford
SYNOPSIS
Earth is getting bleaker, duller, and nobody seems to know why. Or at least, they didn’t—until people like CAPRIA started to notice the effects of the Dimming. When her astronaut wife, JEANETTE, comes out of retirement for one final mission, Capria’s quest to capture the beauty of a fading world brings her into unlikely orbit with DAPHNE, the younger sibling of Jeanette’s co-pilot MILES.
150 years earlier, a wanderlustful SAILOR begins his own sojourn across the open waters of Lake Michigan, unaware of the rising tides around him or the legacy he would leave behind to fight them.
As Miles and Jeanette rocket into space to reverse the Dimming, their loved ones on Earth must find ways to sustain what remains of its brightness, only to discover what they might have known all along: that awe is found in each other.
Learn more HERE.
“I believe strongly in practice. I believe that practice is how we learn to adapt, to grow our capacity to reach new purposes. What I’ve collected here are a few of the ways I think we are all learning to pivot, drawn toward new possibilities the way a fresh seedling is drawn toward the sun.”
Excerpt from Evergreen Wisdom in a Moment of Constant Change.
Publications
The Role and Efficacy of Arts-Based Interventions in Older Adult Populations: Literature Review and Environmental Scan. 2024.
The Sex Ed Playbook: Participatory Theatre for Health Education. 2022.
Youth Media Still Matters Elevating the Voices and Identities of Young People in Disruptive Times. 2022.
“Shame will not make people wear masks, but creative thinking will.” Chicago Tribune, Op-Ed. 2020.
“The Work Speaks for Itself: Understanding the Impact of Youth Media. Spy Hop 2018-2019 Evaluation Report” (co-authored). 2020.
“Finding the ‘Learning Edge:’ Personalization and Creative Engagement in Visual Art Education.” ACS Centre for Inspiring Minds. February 2019.
“When Learners Get ‘Stuck,’ Try Thinking Like An Artist.” Education Week: Learning Deeply (June 17, 2018) www.blogs.edweek.org/edweek/learning_deeply
“Teaching Artistry in the Age of Convergence: Distributed Expertise and the Case for Outside Content Experts (OCEs)” Convergence Design Lab: Publications (Oct. 29, 2015) www.convergencedesignlab.org
“The Forgotten Subjects: Teaching Science and Social Studies Through Drama” incite/insight (Nov. 2011)
The Sex Ed Playbook
Now available in paperback and kindle!
Your essential guide to shame-free sexuality education and arts-based dialogue, this book is a powerful resource for teachers, therapists, community health workers, organizers, teaching artists, theatre directors, and more. Learn how to facilitate engaging experiences in your classroom. Support youth and adolescent skill-building in sexual health and positive relationships. Develop your ability to lead theatre activities in interactive, accessible ways.
In this book, you’ll find over 40 different creative practices to build community and deepen understanding, complete with step-by-step instructions and tips. Our unique participatory theatre model enlivens learning through role-play scenarios, games, storytelling, and more.
The book also includes a short history of participatory education and best practices for leading groups through difficult conversations. This book is for anyone seeking to improve student engagement and ownership, create braver and more empowering spaces, and support positive health outcomes.
The Sex Ed Playbook is aligned with the National Sexuality Education Standards. Learn more HERE.