Young Theaterworks
“About…Productions’ Young Theaterworks comes and challenges students – challenges them
to write, to speak, to look inside themselves. Young Theaterworks offers unrelenting professionalism, dedication and belief in the potential of youth to do more, reach higher, succeed. Regular high school administrators and teachers could learn from Young Theaterwork’s dedication and fire for what they do.”
– Howard Gillingham, Principal, Pueblo de Los Angeles Continuation High School
About…Productions’ YOUNG THEATERWORKS offers innovative programming that introduces youth to the importance of writing and the power of communication through artistic expression, facilitated dialogue and live performance. Our intensive residencies provide youth with transformative experiences and, for many, their first artistic experience. Our target population is at-greater-risk youth in Continuation/Options high schools.
We believe that real change is made possible by working with a small group of youth over an extended period of time with a genuinely committed artistic staff. Our success is partly due to the full cooperation we receive from school principals and classroom teachers who work with students to complete assignments and bridge Young Theaterworks’ learning with other aspects of their school curriculum.
YOUNG THEATERWORKS residencies consist of 20 sessions for up to 20 youth in which our experienced Teaching Artists work with students to create an original script.Sessions are held during school hours twice weekly for approximately 90 minutes. Each residency culminates with at least one staged reading open to the public and performed in a professional setting by professional actors alongside student participants.
YOUNG THEATERWORKS consists of:
• Young Theaterworks Intensive ~ Students create an original script that explores their personal identity, family history and various issues that directly affect their lives.
• Crosstown Voices ~ Utilizing our Intensive curriculum, students from two different schools in two distinct neighborhoods are given the opportunity to challenge existing perspectives of themselves and their crosstown peers, and to transcend the urban divide caused by gang turf wars, language differences or culture barriers by coming together to share and discuss their original work.
• Through the Ages ~ A unique cross-generational residency, Through the Ages builds literacy and helps students and seniors transcend generational and cultural divides. Based on interviews with a select group of seniors, students create new theaterworks. Together they discover commonalities as students develop a stewardship of the seniors' stories through their creative process.
• About…Productions Masterclass/Workshop gives students a hands-on experience exploring the themes and techniques used to create About…Productions’s original theaterworks. Workshops vary from 2-4 hours and are also made available to colleges and universities.