Massachusetts group getting children involved in theater arts celebrates 25 years
A youth theater program in Brookline, Massachusetts is celebrating 25 years of helping kids shine onstage.
For a quarter of a century, the nonprofit Artbarn has impacted thousands of children from Pre-K through the eighth grade. Associate Director Mac Leslie said the kids aren't just performing but learning every aspect of what it takes to put on a show.
Learn how to put on a show
"Every actor has lines. Every actor has a role. Every actor has a named character that they play," said Leslie. "When we come at it from a stance of community and from a stance of collaboration and teamwork, it makes it so much more accessible."
Sarah Simon was only five years old when she joined Artbarn. Now she's a teacher a choreographer.
"The actors are able to get involved in all sides of production," said Simon. "They focus a lot on acting, singing and dancing but they also go to tech every rehearsal and they work on art and the sort of technical side of things."
Create their own musical
Each semester, the Field Mice group creates their own musical.
"The play we're doing right now, the theme was games and they really kind of vibed with the feeling of board games," said Leslie.
"It's about five missing pieces who are searching to find what game they belong in," said 7-year-old July Cecala.
Penelope McPherson spent four years as a program participant before continuing as an intern.
"Everyone fits in"
"The little kids, they have such fun ideas that we usually don't ever get to see and they get a lot of autonomy," said McPherson. "It seems to fun to get to see your ideas actually come onstage and not just go to the sideline. It's the best community and you can know nothing about theater and everyone fits in."
"It's so great to see kids who maybe are nervous to speak in the group or who maybe are even learning English for the first time, who've moved here recently, go through the program and even by the end of their first show, speak with confidence and make friends and really find a spark that they didn't have before," said Simon. "They really feel, I can do this and I love it."
Artbarn has 10-week semesters all year long for different age groups, as well as summer camp. Tuition assistance is also available.
"It makes me think about me when I was a kid and how I really longed for something like this," Leslie said, "and I didn't even know, and how lucky all these kids are that will continue to get to do it for the next 25 years."
