Foreword by Mike Leigh

Afterword by David Barnet

A testimonial to the experiences of theatre students, I Talk of Dreams provides insight into the transformational possibilities that exist when young people are allowed to take risks in a space that allows for creativity and growth. The editors have gathered autobiographical essays from more than twenty former students who participated in young people's theatre productions in Saint John, New Brunswick, the Marshall Islands, Rwanda, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. I Talk of Dreams will will interest those who work with adolescents (in the arts and other spaces), teachers in general, and school boards that fund student programs in the arts.

The anthology highlights the experiences of twelve Canadian and ten international actors (non-Canadians), with the aim of demonstrating the contribution that participation in theatre can make to adolescent and adult development. The actors' stories testify to the significance of art-making and the many direct and indirect repercussions their participation in theatre had in the authors' lives. As editor Andrew Garrod writes, "Creating theatre with young people has book-ended my career. It has helped me find my own voice and purpose in life. My desire in 'doing' theatre has always been to help students discover who they are---to find their 'forward voice' and the 'good in everything.'"