Setting the Stage for Drama Club’s Next Act

(Updated Version)
Drama Club (DC) is a New York City–based nonprofit that provides improvisational theater programming to court-involved youth in juvenile detention centers and community settings.
Utilizing the 5 Rules of Improv, DC helps young people build confidence, emotional resilience, and empathy, while learning to collaborate and express themselves. Following 12 years of founder-led operations and amidst an active transition to new leadership, the Capstone team was engaged to conduct an organizational assessment to prepare the organization for an incoming Executive Director with a focus on measuring and communicating impact. The team evaluated DC’s operational efficiency and impact-measurement frameworks through stakeholder interviews, staff surveys, and a comparative analysis of trauma-informed and correctional arts best practices. Findings identified gaps in data collection, organizational structure, training, and internal communication. The resulting recommendations provide a roadmap for improving core operations and institutionalizing performance management, ensuring DC is equipped for sustainable growth and resilient leadership transition.