What is the Restorative Theatre Performance Project? 

Restorative Theatre Performance Project(RTPP), uses performing arts methodologies for the exploration and development of narrative storytelling that center the elevation of social justice issues and restorative practices. We develop multi-disciplinary programming for community and academic engagement and trainings that use restorative practices to establish baseline standards and optimal methods for wellbeing and harm reduction in theatre training programs.

The arts have always been enmeshed with social justice and used to incite change, examine our shared history and offer new paradigms for ways of knowing and being. Restorative practice is a methodology that helps the theatre practitioner to transition from a performance and training culture that has historically centered harm and a punitive hierarchical power structure which remains pervasive in the story and meaning making endeavors of theatre audition, rehearsal and performance and audience engagement. 

Restorative practices have ancient roots in Indigenous cultures worldwide, focusing on repairing harm and relationships rather than just punishment. The idea that a thriving community is inherently interconnected. When harm occurs, it does not simply affect those involved, but the entire community.

RTPP is an intervention based arts research initiative founded by Professor Denise J. Hart, a full professor in the Department of Theatre Arts at Howard University. It seeks to intervene and disrupt to create social change for the betterment of humanity. 

Multi-Disciplinary Programming  

Young Griots: New Works for the Stage, is a student play development program that celebrates the

powerful voices of young emerging playwrights of color who address social justice issues through their work. 

Young Griots, created by Professor Denise J. Hart, had its inaugural launch at Howard University in fall 2025.

Throughout the audition, rehearsal and performance process the methodology framework of Young Griots centers the expression and implementation of restorative practices: Collaboration, Respect, Inclusivity, Insight, Individual Process, Creativity, Curiosity, Incubation, Discovery, Conduct, De-Role, Stress Reduction, Consent and Audience inclusion

Professor Hart looks forward to collaborating with the Department of Media, Journalism and Film at Howard University for Young Griots: New Works for the Stage 2026.

Academic Theatre Training 

Our theatre training program is designed to work in tandem with existing theatre performance training philosophies for all practitioners. We specialize in academic theatre training programs because they play a critical role in the reorientation of student theatre training culture to decenter harm and transform faculty/student collaboration, leadership, creative expression and practitioner wellbeing.

RTTP has the goal of transforming academic learning environments to eradicate industry practices that result in challenging environments that hinder curiosity, creativity, skill building, freedom of expression and discovery. RTPP seeks to empower students, faculty and staff through training that equips them to radically transform academic and eventually professional theatre performance spaces to better serve student practitioners and ultimately the audiences who benefit from artistic gifts. 

Thorough training modalities the Restorative Theatre Performance Project will help train emerging student artists to create the industry in which they can thrive. Students will learn tools that allow them to participate in, create, manage and transmute restorative practices in audition, rehearsal and performance spaces.