The Sidwell Friends Middle School Vertical Voices Playback Theatre performed two standing-room-only shows to more than 400 students at the Mid-Atlantic Middle School Leadership Conference earlier this month.

The conference, held on March 1 at All Souls Church in Washington, D.C., focused on diversity and drew participants from D.C., Maryland, Virginia, and Pennsylvania. The Playback Theatre performances featured stories shared by audience members about being isolated, bullied, and harassed.

Vertical Voices Playback Theatre honors the human experience by bringing personal stories to life on the stage. This troupe of 19 student actors acts out stories on the spot in front of the audience, and gives voice to people in the community. These enactments promote compassion and understanding in challenging arenas, locally and around the world.