As a former off-Broadway actor, Chad Corbitt continues to incorporate the arts into his current job as an English teacher at Freire Charter High School, writes Matteo Iadonisi for 6abc.

There, he is also the artistic director of the Broken Leg Players, an after-school theater group that has grown tremendously since it was launched nearly a decade ago.

“In the classroom, whenever there’s an opportunity to get the kids creating, performing, or just putting themselves outside their comfort zone, to me, that’s what I did as an actor,” said Corbitt. “Just always try to stretch yourself, to try something new.”

Corbitt led the transformation of a classroom into a black-box theater where students can both practice and put on shows at the end of the school year.

He started an online fundraising campaign, which helped him get a stage built, a lightboard, some speakers, and other elements to create the theater that now sits within the school.

Since making the transformation, Corbitt has seen the positive impact it has had on the students.

Many come in as shy and timid 9th graders, but most leave as much more confident 12th graders.

“It really is a true family that we built [here],” said Corbitt.

Read more about Chad Corbitt and how he engages his students in 6abc.

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