Kathleen Gallagher uses the drama classroom as a window into the daily challenges of marginalized youth in Toronto, Boston, Taipei, and Lucknow.

"Why Theatre Matters is an intellectual tour de force. An enthralling journey towards the 'complex interior experience' of engagement, Kathleen Gallagher's book is a message about the hope that good teaching in the arts can bring about." -- Michael Finneran, Senior Lecturer in Drama, Department of Arts Education and Physical Education, University of Limerick 'Few scholars have as much depth, insight, and command of the literature as Kathleen Gallagher. Why Theatre Matters takes us inside the classroom to reveal how youth feel about school, life, friends, work, and their futures. A must-read.' -- George Belliveau, Department of Language and Literacy Education, University of British Columbia 'This imaginative, data-rich, theoretically informed, and beautifully written book makes a significant contribution toward shifting current deficit discourse about urban youth and schooling in neo-liberal times. Gallagher's focus on drama space as a rehearsal site for young people's civic engagement and their social resilience provides inspiration and direction for educational policy and practice.' -- Wendy Luttrell, Urban Education Program, The Graduate Center, City University of New York

IntroductionChapter One: The Complexity of People, Conversation, and Space as DataChapter Two: The Social and Pedagogical Context for EngagementChapter Three: The Multi-dimensionality of Engagement: Academic Achievement, Academic Enthusiasm, Voluntary Initiative and What the Numbers Tell UsChapter Four: Social Performances: Students and Teachers Inhabit Their RolesChapter Five: Life or Theatre?Chapter Six: Up Close and Personal: Unfinished Stories