More Top Picks Best Hamster Cages
The curtain rises, the stage lights go this up, all eyes are on you, there is a hush from the crowd, it’s your moment.
Since 2001, the Youth Reach Kids Company of the Wilmette-based Music Theatre Works has been providing summer workshops to young performers, ages 8 to 13, with an interest in learning about musical theater from a professional teaching artist.
playing Curly during a July 15 rehearsal for “Oklahoma” at the Wilmette-based Youth Reach Kids Company.
According to Youth Reach Company Manager Anya Plotkin, the program is based on the democratic belief that every child deserves a chance to be in the spotlight and the opportunity for a starring role.
“We want families to fall in love with musical theater, and the Youth Reach camp is one way to give our young performers a chance to experience that firsthand,” Plotkin said.
With no auditions, everyone gets a part.
“It’s almost like a tag team philosophy,” Plotkin says, “where each child is cast in a starring role and also as a member of the ensemble or chorus, with each role cast multiple times.”
According to Plotkin, by sharing the starring roles performers are able to challenge themselves and exceed their own expectations.
This five-week theater program offers a different production each week, with rehearsals every weekday and a final performance each Saturday.
The summer’s schedule includes; July 10-15, Oklahoma Youth Edition, July 17-22, Newsies Jr., July 24-29, Addams Family Young @ Part, July 31-Aug 5, Fiddler on the Roof Jr., and Aug 7-12, Once Upon a Mattress Youth Edition.
The Youth Reach team Plotkin says, also includes stage director/choreographer Caryn Ott-Hillman and music director, Christopher Richard.
Aunt Eller, and Estelle Carnahan of Evanston plays Laurey during a rehearsal for Wilmette’s Youth Reach Kids Company.
“Some kids sign up for all five weeks, some for two, it’s really up to them,” Plotkin said.
Jennifer Prosk of Lincolnshire, a Youth Reach parent, says the Youth Reach Program is encouraging even to kids without previous theater experience and every child gets a part in the production.
“My daughter has participated for five summers and the atmosphere has always been welcoming and inclusive with kindness as the overarching theme,” Prosk said. “For parents, scheduling is easy, children can participate for the entire summer, or simply for the weeks that work best.”
Dr. Angela Lyonsmith of Evanston says she has highly recommended the Youth Reach program to other parents.
“The staff at Music Theater Works has consistently provided meaningful opportunities for our daughters to develop an appreciation of what it takes to create a performance as well as build lasting confidence in themselves and encouraging others,” Lyonsmith said.
The Youth Reach focus is on producing shows with a high level of professionalism and care, while incorporating positive lessons through theater arts like building strength, flexibility, empathy and uplifting the strengths in others, organizers say.
Zinnea Lyonsmith of Evanston is an 8-year-old participant in this summer’s Youth Reach program.
“If you are not someone who is very comfortable on a stage, but you want to develop self-confidence, this is a good program for you,” Lyonsmith said.
More Top Picks Irlen Syndrome And Autism Why The Overlap Is So Common
Gina Grillo is a freelance reporter with Pioneer Press.