Theatre as a Prescription for Connection
Organizations: South Coast Repertory, UCI
Everyone has a great story in them. The challenge is creating the space for people to discover it, share it, and have someone listen.
That belief was at the heart of a new collaborative effort between South Coast Repertory and the University of California, Irvine. Together, the organizations explored whether storytelling and theatre could help address one of the most urgent challenges facing our communities: loneliness.
The idea grew from a national conversation about the public health consequences of social isolation. Former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy has called attention to the growing loneliness epidemic, while the 2023 NEA Healing, Bridging, Thriving Summit highlighted the role arts and culture can play in strengthening social connection and wellbeing. For SCR, the connection is natural. Theatre brings people together around stories, creating opportunities for connection both during performances and in the conversations that follow.
With support from the Samueli Foundation Breakaway Fund, SCR turned that idea into a pilot program. The first step was an eight-week adult storytelling experience through SCR's Theatre Conservatory. Rather than simply teaching acting, the program gave participants opportunities to develop stories of their own through writing, acting, movement, discussion, and socializing. The goal was to create something surprisingly difficult to find in adult life: a place where people are expected, welcomed, and able to connect.
At the same time, SCR partnered with researchers from UCI's Joe C. Wen School of Population and Public Health. Dr. Bernadette Boden-Albala and Dr. Jan Hirsch led a study, The Impact of Storytelling on Perceived Stress and Well-Being in Graduate Students, examining whether storytelling activities and theatre attendance could help students manage stress and support their wellbeing.
Eight UCI graduate students participated in the first class under the guidance of SCR Conservatory teaching artist Kristina Leach, a professional playwright, director, and performer who has taught at SCR for more than two decades. Students developed their own voices through writing exercises, play discussions, and acting activities, while also attending SCR productions including Eat Me and Fremont Ave. The program was not simply an introduction to theatre; it invited students into a cultural experience and community they might not otherwise have encountered.
Participants completed surveys focused on mood, stress, and wellbeing throughout the study, giving UCI researchers an opportunity to examine what happens when a community-based arts program becomes part of a research setting. SCR brought expertise in theatre education and creative engagement; UCI brought public health research expertise.
The project connects to the emerging practice of social prescribing, which recognizes that wellbeing is influenced by more than what happens in a doctor's office. Healthcare providers may connect people with community activities or creative programs because meaningful social connection can contribute to overall wellness. For SCR, that raises an intriguing possibility: What if a doctor could recommend a storytelling class? What if a theatre could become part of someone's path toward greater connection?
The pilot gave SCR a new way to think about its role in the community. A theatre can certainly be a place to experience a story. But it can also create the conditions for people to connect with others and feel that their own stories matter.
