K–12 Schools

Secret Histories is PCC's Arts-in-Education Program, adapted from the company’s interview-based Undesirable Elements series, which highlights local individuals telling their own stories on stage.  Participating classrooms attend a professional PCC performance from the Undesirable Elements series, followed by a facilitated Q&A.  Professional PCC Teaching Artists then lead in-school artistic residencies, using peer interview techniques, writing exercises, and drama activities to explore themes of identity, place, and belonging, and to introduce theatrical tools for self- and community-based reflection. Teaching Artists guide students through the process of identifying key memories that shaped their sense of self, scripting their stories into a collective work of art, and building performance skills (voice, movement, expression) for a final performance of their original theater piece. Participants make discoveries about themselves, their peers, and the power of theatrical storytelling to build empathy across diverse experiences.