From Classroom Corridors to Cell Blocks: Childhood Trauma & Juvenile Justice at UCLA

Dr. Micah E. Johnson’s free solo play confronts the school-to-prison pipeline at Lani Hall this Friday

At the intersection of medical science, theatrical storytelling, and systemic reform, an urgent solo performance arrives in Los Angeles tomorrow. Childhood Trauma & Juvenile Justice, written and performed by Dr. Micah E. Johnson, takes direct aim at the invisible tracks that steer young lives—asking why some children are guided toward university lecture halls while others are funneled into prison camps.

Directed by Veteran Theater Artist Joseph Meissner

Bringing this multi-layered narrative to life is director Joseph Meissner, an actor, director, and UCLA Extension instructor whose artistic roots span decades of stage, film, and movement work. Meissner brings a distinguished theatrical pedigree to the production, having collaborated with visionary theater makers including Jerzy Grotowski, Andre Gregory, Lee Breuer, Paula Vogel, and Anna Deavere Smith, alongside acclaimed screen actors such as William Hurt, Billy Bob Thornton, Jeffrey Wright, and Andie MacDowell.

Confronting the School-to-Prison Pipeline

Presented by the UCLA Department of Family Medicine, the live production confronts the harsh realities of early adversity, mental health struggles, and substance use, examining how institutional forces criminalize vulnerability long before a young person ever sets foot in a courtroom.

Free Admission and Community Resources at UCLA

The free performance takes place Friday afternoon, November 13, at 3:00 p.m. in UCLA’s Lani Hall, located within the Schoenberg Music Building at 445 Charles E. Young Drive East in Los Angeles. Beyond the performance itself, attendees will receive free books and behavioral health resources, ensuring the audience leaves not only moved by the drama on stage, but equipped with tangible tools to foster healing and justice in their own communities.