About me
Justin Wade has been the Executive Director of React, an Indianapolis theatre company focusing on youth-centered adaptation and devising processes in theatre since 2005, after years of creating alongside REACT's founder, Charlotte Kaufman. Into early adulthood, Justin was an active poet, rapper, punk musician, and theatre practitioner, all while actively using heroin. His recovery story is integrally tied to theatre-making. Justin is an anti-establishment artist interested in pushing boundaries and innovation, and brings this world to REACT through his pedagogy, and his devising art-generating practices alongside Indianapolis’ local youth. Under his leadership, REACT began to focus on making theater “for social change” in 2009. Since then, he has helped produce 30+ social issues shows, dealing with such issues as bullying, homophobia, and violence. Justin has spent over 20,000 hours in the classroom teaching and/or facilitating theatre education outcomes. Under Justin’s direction, REACT has increased its operating budget over 40 times, has grown from serving 60 to 1500 students annually, and has structurally evolved into their current production, programming, and educational models. Reacts most two recent ensemble-generated productions Love Overdose (a play about the Opioid crisis that has been remounted several times and is exploring a touring model), and Dreamland (a piece tackling climate anxiety and climate justice), have received critical acclaim.
