Led by the University’s Office of Civic Engagement and Court Theatre, the Civic Actor Studio is a retreat for established and emerging civic leaders working to improve the quality of life for Chicagoans, especially residents of the South Side.
Participants read dramatic texts and take part in theatre-based exercises and discussions to discover the many facets of who they are and how they show up in leadership roles, ultimately learning how to access the wide range of “characters” they contain and to think differently about how to lead others in a civic context.
In this CBS Chicago feature story, Dr. Shaka Rawls, principal of Leo High School, shares how his experience in UChicago’s Civic Actor Studio helped strengthen him as a leader, unlocking a deeper sense of empathy and revealing the power of leading with vulnerability.
Watch the full story below: