Storycatchers Theatre

Serving youth in the justice system, both inside and post-release. Est. 1984. Storycatchers Theatre guides young people to transform their traumatic experiences into powerful musical theatre, inspiring them to develop the courage and vision to become leaders and mentors. By creating support for youth within the criminal justice system, Storycatchers prepares them to change their lives and emerge successfully from court involvement. Storycatchers was founded in 1984 to create and perform original musicals inspired by the stories of middle and high school students. In 1990, the company began developing its immersive residential program model for system-impacted youth at the Cook County Juvenile Detention Center. It was at this time that the methodology expanded to incorporate the youth into the full process of writing and performing as a way to explore and begin to move beyond past trauma. Storycatchers initiated a remarkable partnership with the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice in 2002 when the company moved into the Illinois Youth Center-Warrenville, where Storycatchers established its nationally recognized, award-winning process of delivering creative youth development programs through a trauma lens. Storycatchers has been conducting year-round residential programs in three separate facilities since 2010. In 2014, the company expanded into post-release support with the Changing Voices performing arts jobs program for young people ages 17-24 returning to Chicago. Storycatchers amplifies and elevates the voices of youth impacted by the carceral state, empowering them to envision and pursue productive post-release futures of their choosing.