| Youtheatre |
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| History In 1974, Irvin Turner created a program that would offer theatrical experiences to African American youth. Mr. Turner believed that with the participation the adult productions were receiving from the community, it was time that Arena Players, Inc. reached out to the youth in the community as well. With the help of the other founders, the first youth production was staged, “Bits of Broadway,” a musical revue with familiar popular tunes of the day. The production was very extremely successful and demonstrated the sincere desire and need for an ongoing youth program. To meet the need, The Playshop was created in 1975, with both a fall after school and summer program. With the playhouse being renovated at the time, the youth group started on the same nomadic trek as their adult counterparts years before with sessions held first at the Madison Avenue YWCA, and then moving to Coppin State College and Eutaw Marshburn Elementary School, eventually settling into its home at 801 McCulloh Street when renovations were completed. The focus of the youth program was to train young people between the ages of 13 and 18 in the performing arts. The young people took classes in music, drama, dance, mime and technical theatre; at the end of the workshop, a showcase was presented. Since its inception, the youth program at Arena Players has made only minor adjustments—a name change in 1975, from The Playshop to Youtheatre, and, in 1988, the addition of youth between the ages of 5 and 11 years (5 – 8 years olds in a program called The Little Peoples Theatre.) Almost fifteen years later, in 2000, a substantial grant from The Family League of Baltimore to support a 35% increase in youth participation from the surrounding neighborhoods caused the Youtheatre to significantly expand. Today, the Youtheatre enrolls 75 students in its after school session and 150 during the summer months with new plans to add an additional 75 in a program focusing on ages 11 – 15 years. The Youtheatre and the Little Peoples Theatre function under the watchful eye of Catherine Orange, director of all youth programs at Arena Players for almost 30 years. With productions by the Youtheatre four times a year, the youth programs at Arena Players perform to sell out audiences regularly, receive great reviews by local newspapers and visits by local and national celebrities. In 2002, Senator Barbara Mukulski, Lieutenant Governor Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, popular actor/playwright Ted Lange (“Isaac” from “The Love Boat”) and internationally renown actor Martin Sheen (“The West Wing,” “Apocalypse Now”) all stopped by to visit and speak with the students in the Youtheatre program. Performances by the young people are usually grand musical productions with live music, exceptional vocal talents, inspired choreography, elaborate and colorful costuming. The young people have offered productions adapted from classics such as “Once on This Island,” “Into the Woods,” “The Lion King,” “Scrooge,” “Annie,” and others. Building a reputation locally as well as internationally, the Youtheatre performs at a variety of venues and events demonstrating the artistic excellence of its program. Artscape, Baltimore City Fair, The Baltimore Museum of Art-- the older ensembles have performed at many major local arts events. In the summer of 2002, a select group from Youtheatre was invited to participate in an international arts exchange program. Twelve youngsters enjoyed a ten day stay in Paris, Greenland and The Netherlands where they performed original and excerpts from classics works and offered workshops in unique African American theatre artforms to their young counterparts. So impressed were their international audiences with the unique talents of the Arena Players groups, the international media gave the young thespians significant visibility on television and in their local publications. The international arts exchange program was such a success, Arena Players is currently planning to forge similar relationships abroad in an effort to develop performance and training opportunities for the young people. The many successes of the Arena Players’ youth program have become evident to many in Baltimore City with great support from corporations, foundations and area arts and community organizations. The Family League of Baltimore, the William H. Baker Memorial Fund and A-Teams program of the Baltimore Community Foundation, Associated Black Charities, Baltimore Office of Promotion and Arts in addition to numerous programs at the Maryland State Arts Council have supported the Youtheatre in amounts almost $200,000 in the past two years alone. |
| Youtheatre Staff Catherine Orange, Director Charlene Williamson, Assistant Director Troy Burton, Artistic Director Youtheatre Faculty Robert Chew, Drama Andrew Dove, Dance Lori Goodman, Dance George Holmes, Speech Robert Russell, Drama Yvette Shipley, Dance Laura Sligh, Drama |