LEGACYThe place where it happens
Youth gather in courtyards and borrowed rooms, transforming stereotypes, headlines, and lived experience into scenes that reverse the gaze—then sharing the work first with neighbors, elders, and peers.
Cultural exchange
What we learn
We learn how stigma shapes a neighborhood’s public life—and how performance can restore dignity and agency in the open air.
What we share
We share theatre tools that turn lived experience into craft: ensemble play, structure, rhythm, and testimony without spectacle.
Community & context
Moldava nad Bodvou has been widely stigmatized—often reduced to conflict narratives. This work helped youth author a different public story: presence, pride, craft, and community leadership.
Shared community needs
- Transportation support so youth can safely gather across neighborhoods
- Sustained support for Roma-led teaching artists and mentors
- Resources to remount legacy pieces for new generations
Support this Drama Club
Stand with Slum Dog Theatre.
Your support helps young artists access mentorship, arts education, and a creative home where they can process real-world challenges and imagine new futures rooted in their own culture and community.
501(c)(3) • Donations are tax-deductible
Artist pathways & projects
Artists learn to build theatre where trust is everything—starting in the courtyard, not the black box. The ensemble model also creates a path for youth to become mentors, facilitators, and visiting artists.
Current projects
- Remounting legacy courtyard pieces with alumni mentors
- A new short-form repertoire built for courtyards and community gatherings
Visiting artists
A living lineage of artists who’ve made work with this club.
