The participants in this study are 9-year-olds who demonstrate signs of incipient alienation. Even with an experienced teacher who had a positive relationship with her students, some students describe school as boring. The arts may provide a path away from alienation when learning is embedded in the students' cultural knowledge and when the artistic process is primary. Our research question was, "What do students learn when engaged in a playwriting experience in school?" The evidence suggests that students discovered fun, freedom, and a sense of agency with language arts as a result of their participation in the program.