A dream realized: The John Lennon Real Love Project comes to Covenant House, NY

Yoko Ono famously said, “A dream you dream alone is just a dream. A dream you dream together is reality.” 

Here’s some evidence that Yoko was right:

A dream shared by two non-profits making a big positive impact became a reality in the fall of 2022 when Theatre Within’s John Lennon Real Love Project came to Covenant House, NY. 

The previous fall, Joe Raiola, Theatre Within’s Executive/Artistic Director, and David Acker, a longtime supporter of both Theatre Within and Covenant House, dreamed of expanding the program to serve teens experiencing homelessness. 

With its impressive new facility on 41 Street on the West Side of Manhattan, Covenant House is New York City’s largest provider serving youth in crisis. Bringing the John Lennon Real Love Project there seemed like a natural expansion of Theatre Within’s mission.  

Acker brought Covenant House Senior VP,  Tod Monaghan, into the conversation. A fruitful dialogue soon emerged including Board members and staff of both organizations. 

Rather than focusing on John Lennon’s “Real Love,” which is the mainstay of the elementary school program, it was decided that the Covenant House sessions would focus on original songwriting. 

Under the direction of Theatre Within instructors Beth and Scott Bierko, program participants engaged in a dynamic, creative and collaborative process inspired by John Lennon’s music, message of peace and love, and social activism. 

In three evening sessions, participants wrote three songs, two of which are featured in a video created by the Theatre Within team. 

Launched in 2014 at the Children’s Hospital at Montefiore in the Bronx, the John Lennon Real Love Project continues to empower children, teens and adults in communities in need to open their hearts and sing their truth.