SOHO, Manhattan — Drama Club serves as a vital lifeline for a brighter future.

This nonprofit organization is dedicated to supporting incarcerated and court-involved youth by offering them an opportunity to use improvisational theater as a means of self-expression and personal development.

“When I first joined the program, I was incarcerated. I thought, ‘Wow, I’ve never done anything like this before.’ It was an escape from my reality and gave me a sense of belonging,” shared Tiffany “Tiny” Cruz, a teaching artist at Drama Club.

Drama Club conducts theater and improv workshops at Rikers Island, Horizon, and Crossroads juvenile detention centers, as well as for youth considered at-risk.

“We often live in a world of ‘no, but.’ To truly begin living, you must accept your current situation and recognize that there is more out there,” explained Ashley Hart Adams, the Programs Manager at Drama Club.

These engaging sessions give participants a chance to build confidence, communication skills, and community. Members learn to collaborate and tell their stories in a safe space.

“A lot of our young people enter the crossroads system through gang involvement. That’s where they see community. Drama Club creates a new path,” said Adams.

Improv is backed by research.

“Trauma is a loop. When you engage in something like improv, you don’t know the next thing that’s going to happen, you start to handle stress and uncertainty in a new and better way,” said Adams.

Drama Club’s Apprentice Program offers at risk youth paid personal and professional development internships each year. Apprentices work closely with mentors to set goals for brighter futures.