Friday, May 14, 2021
Megan Raab ’21 accepted into CUNY’s Master of Arts in Applied Theatre program
by Rachel Stengel '14, '20
Megab Raab ’21 is ready to make change using the power of theatre. With admission to City University of New York’s (CUNY) master’s in applied theatre program, she’s on her way to accomplishing her goal.
“Theatre is not just for entertainment,” she says. “Theatre can have a deeper purpose and a deeper meaning.”
CUNY’s program is the first of its kind in the U.S. to use theatre as a method for education, social justice and community development. The program prepares students to bring theatre to nontraditional settings such as schools, health care facilities, social service agencies and more. Raab is interested in bringing theatre to the prison system.
“The thing that makes theatre so appealing is that you get to just be happy and create something beautiful and experience freedom and joy,” she says. “When you’re able to put something so joyful in a place that is the complete opposite, there’s something special about that.”
Raab, a theatre major with a concentration in musical theatre and minors in psychology and popular music studies, says a number of factors inspired her interest in theatre and social justice. Growing up in upstate New York, many members of her community were employed by the prison system, but it was an aspect that was not readily discussed. Through her psychology minor, she pursued courses in criminal justice and perceived flaws within the system.
“Looking around at society today, you see that system isn’t working right,” she says.
Theatre is not just for entertainment. Theatre can have a deeper purpose and a deeper meaning.
Her passion for bringing creativity to the prison system was solidified after participating in the University of Michigan’s Prison Creative Arts Project this winter. The program fosters artistic collaboration with those impacted by the justice system through classes and workshops. As the pandemic shifted the program virtually, Raab was able to create writing prompts and character analyses for incarcerated people.
“We would mail in our packet of activities, then get responses back and give constructive feedback to keep people creative during this time,” she says.
Always drawn to performing through dance and theatre, Raab began to enjoy more of the behind-the-scenes work of writing and directing during her time at Rider. The University also led her to CUNY’s program.
“Rider is where I was absolutely meant to be,” she says. “I got to immerse myself in theater and made amazing connections.”
After earning her master’s, Raab hopes to do outreach work for a professional theatre company, bringing theatrical experiences to incarcerated people and one day become a professor.