Startin’ Drama is a bullying prevention program that teaches empathy, engagement and empowerment for 6th- 12th Graders.

Combining interactive theater with evidenced based assessment tools, Startin’ Drama moves beyond typical bullying prevention programs by creating and performing scenes that come from participants’ specific experiences. Through any of our three tiered programs, HartBeat finds out what topics are important to youth (such as rumors, cyber bullying, etc.), and use original theater as an entertaining forum to address them.

Tier 1: Assembly/Workshop
HartBeat comes to a school/organization prior to the workshop and conducts a pre-program assessment. Based on the assessment, HartBeat brings three original scenes to perform. After each scene, HartBeat leads the youth in interactive conflict resolution activities based on Augusto Boal’s Theater of the Oppressed. The program ends with a participant assessment.

Tier 2: 3-5 Day Intensive
This tier puts the playwriting and performing into the participants’ hands. After the assessment, HartBeat teachers help students create scenes based on the most common issues. The residency culminates with an interactive student performance.

Tier 3: 4-Week After School Program
Participants meet after school for four weeks as HartBeat teachers guide them through the process of administering assessments, evaluating data, writing and rehearsing scenes and performing the interactive assembly.