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| Young performers in the 2011-2012 season's production of Peter Pan |
It is a gift to watch a child experience live performance
for the first time. Whether they are attending an event at the Center, or
participating on stage, it is amazing to see their minds and hearts expanded
with the thrill and experience of live theatre. This is the gift that Alaska
Theatre of Youth (ATY) has been giving local children for 29 years. Founded in
1983, John Goldring and a determined group of community members formed ATY as a
means to empower youth through theatre. Local children make up the majority of
the cast in each production and perform to many of their peers who come to see
the shows. In those 29 years, many of the children who participated in the
early productions have gone on to become successful theatre professionals and
culturally-aware adults. Many alumni now work and volunteer with current youth
participants, or bring their own children to productions, passing on the good
work.
Executive Director, Jessica Jacob says this of ATY’s future
at the Center: “Alaska Theatre of Youth is a gateway for families and school
children to be introduced to the Alaska Center for the Performing Arts. For
many of our young patrons, it is their first time visiting the facility to
see or participate in a live performance. It is our hope that we are
building not only the next generation of performing artists and theatre
technicians of the highest quality, but also building future generations of
discerning and enthusiastic theatre audiences, ensuring the vitality of the
performing arts in our community for years to come.”
Alaska Theatre of Youth fosters collaborations and
partnerships with a variety of organizations such as McLaughlin Youth Center,
UAA, Pacific Northern Academy, Service High School, Stellar High School and
Theatre Artists United. ATY is also committed to ensure that youth from any
background can participate regardless of ability to pay, and offers
complimentary tickets and scholarships to social service agencies and families
in need.
ATY presents a Mainstage Season of five productions in the
Sydney Laurence Theatre every year. In addition to their regular season, they
offer a Spring Break Camp and Summer Conservatory for children to study theatre
arts a bit more intensively. In the 2012-2013 season, ATY will produce: Disney’s Little Mermaid Jr. (October
12-20, 2012), A Christmas Carol
(December 7-15), The Best Christmas
Pageant Ever (December 8-14), Honk,
Jr. (February 15-23) and Wizard of Oz
– The True Story written by local playwright Ron Holmstrom and students
from the Ann Seaton School (February 15-23).
For more information about Alaska Theatre of Youth and their
current offerings, visit their website at: http://alaskatheatreofyouth.org/.
For tickets to ATY performances, visit CenterTix at: http://www.myalaskacenter.com/events/promoters/promoter_aty.php.
