Learning Circles

HowlRound's Learning Circles are short-term, discussion-based groups designed to build community and knowledge in tandem. Fifteen theatre practitioners from across the field gather for weekly sessions exploring a central topic. Assigned reading/viewing/listening pulls from HowlRound’s extensive archive, and we invite participants’ varied experiences into the room through facilitated discussion and activities.

To learn more about the origins and development of Learning Circles, check out Ashley Malafronte’s essay “We Have a Lot to Learn from Each Other. HowlRound’s Learning Circles Give Us a Place for It.” 

Spring 2026: Justice in the Rehearsal Room 

How do you orient your theatre practice toward justice? Join HowlRound for a six-week co-learning journey for theatre practitioners to reflect and build knowledge about the way justice shows up in our rehearsal rooms. We’re looking for a cohort of up to fifteen folks with a range of theatremaking experiences—from students to established practitioners—who are interested in connecting with other values-aligned makers to share their own experiences, learn from each other, and build relationships with an aim toward making our field more just and equitable for all.

This Learning Circle has concluded, but if you'd like to be the first to hear when the next one opens up, sign up for our mailing list.

Past Learning Circles 

Justice in the Rehearsal Room (2025 Pilot) 

In 2025, we ran two pilot cohorts of Justice in the Rehearsal Room. Materials focused on content (essays, interviews, podcasts, livestreams) by theatremakers who disrupt unhealthy and oppressive structures and/or offer alternatives rooted in equity, care, and justice. Check out the Justice in the Rehearsal Room Syllabus, and read Ashley Malafronte's reflection on the pilots.

Feedback from Past Participants

“The circle gave me tools and language I can take back into my own work as a storyteller and community practitioner. It also reminded me how much cross-sector conversations can inform theatre practice.” 
–Justice in the Rehearsal Room Pilot Participant

“Participating in this recent process was restorative. It offered a rare environment that genuinely supported practitioners like me: those who have been marginalized, silenced, or systematically pushed out of the very communities they work to uplift…. It welcomed a diversity of backgrounds, lineages, and ways of thinking—something I have rarely experienced in institutional settings. Although inequities persist, particularly those rooted in hierarchy, status, and the unexamined privilege that continues to shape academic discourse, the intentional design of this environment fostered greater equity, compassion, and self-awareness. It modeled a path forward for the arts: one that resists gatekeeping and instead invests in communal care and shared humanity.”
–Justice in the Rehearsal Room Pilot Participant

“This learning circle opened my eyes to so many areas of theatre and perspectives I'd never even come into contact with before…. This was a really really wonderful opportunity to learn specifically for those who have not had full exposure to these philosophies and practices before… I really enjoyed this learning group. I hope it comes around again, it is something I would build into my schedule regularly.” 
–Justice in the Rehearsal Room Pilot Participant

“It was great connecting with other artists who are interested in the same ethical and justice-centered practices as me. I loved the readings and the discussions. The facilitation and communication was excellent.” 
–Justice in the Rehearsal Room Pilot Participant