CLICK HERE

 





 

A New SECOND STAGE for Middle Schools!
As the 2009-2010 School Year gets underway, scheduling is now open for Project resources to be put to work for students in YOUR middle school!  The Project's SECOND STAGE program can provide everything from sets, lights, costumes, props, and professional direction to your efforts in keeping theatre education alive for your students.

Each time The Project produces a new Summer Second Stage show (normally in August), the technical resources for that show are built to be flexible enough for use in a wide range of school venues, from theatres to multi-purpose rooms.  These resources are maintained by The Project, so schools like yours can access them and use them to produce their own versions of the shows with their own students.

Most often, The Project is contracted to conduct an after school program, with a professional Project director at the helm.  The Project provides the necessary technical elements, adding to the school's existing resources (if any), and providing anywhere from 20-40 students a valuable theatre production experience.  In the end, two performances are offered, using The Project's professionally designed (simple and flexible) costuming and set pieces, and the school can raise money by charging admission!

According to Project Director Jeff Hall, it's a "triple win" situation.  "We win because we get to see our resources put to good use," he says, "the school wins because they are able to keep theatre education alive in these challenging times, and the students win because they get to put on the show!"

"Ultimately, it's about value," he explains, "and, once again, everyone wins: We get more return on and use from the resources we've created for each show; the school works closely with one of our professional directors, who is able to bring the resources of our entire company to bear; and the students are able to have a valuable theatre education experience from beginning to end."

Four Second Stage titles are currently available, each approximately one hour long, specially adapted for young performers: Rodger's and Hammerstein's CINDERELLA, PIRATES OF PENZANCE JR, ONCE ON THIS ISLAND JR, and our newest member of the Second Stage family, WILLY WONKA JR.  Click here to see photos of past productions.

For more information about bringing The Young People's Theatre Project to your school, contact The Project at 503-350-3210, or email Project Office Manager Tess Payne.

 

Development of each Summer Second Stage production is partially funded through the support of The Marie Lamfrom Foundation. 

The Project's Second Stage Outreach is supported by a generous grant from the Regional Arts and Culture Council.

Who is The Project?
The Young People's Theatre Project combines entertainment and education for all audiences. Through performances, workshops and residencies with professional theatre artists, young people of all ages explore their creative potential. The Project is a resource to an ever-expanding community, from opening nights to opening minds.

The Young People's Theatre Project is made up of teachers, actors, directors, writers, and technicians who have all benefited from opportunities in educational theatre ... and who want to share their experience with as many people as possible.

The Young People's Theatre Project is made up of young people, who have "graduated" through the various Project programs, and are now returning to both gain and share new experiences by working as volunteers or staff members.

The Young People's Theatre Project is indeed an ever-expanding community of young people of all ages as we expand our work to include participants as young as 6 or 7 and as old as 67.

And when you get involved -- whether on stage, behind the scenes, in the audience, or from a distance -- The Young People's Theatre Project is you.

 

Project History  
Since moving to Portland in 1991, The Project has served young people in over 40 states with touring programs, and has partnered with schools, community art centers, and organizations including Young Audiences, The Portland Art Museum, and Oregon Zoo to create unique theatre education experiences. The Project facilitates productions, classes, and after-school programs at a variety of public and private schools through the Portland area.

Founded by Jeff Hall in Denver in 1987, The Young People's Theatre Project has always had a central goal of finding unique and effective ways to introduce theatre artists and arts opportunities to young people.  When Jeff began accepting opportunities to work with other organizations, The Project was put on hold.  In 1991, however, he and his wife Koleen (and their 10-month-old daughter) made Portland their home, with the aim of reinventing ways The Project could fulfill its central mission.

Highlights from the last 18 years include FROM THE PAGE TO THE STAGE residencies in communities throughout the Northwest United States and Guam; FINDING THE TRAIL performances for nearly every elementary school in Northwest Oregon and Southwest Washington (celebrating the 150th anniversary of the Oregon Trail); WHERE IN THE ZOO IS CARMEN SANDIEGO? with Oregon Zoo; and the development of the FROM THE MAGIC PEN assembly programs, promoting creative writing and literacy to students from coast to coast across the US.

For a time, The Project conducted after-school and summer classes in a leased studio space. It quickly became apparent, however, that taking the artists to young people provided far greater opportunity than getting young people to come to the artists, and The Project's sole focus on partnerships was born.  By joining forces with public and private schools, parks and recreation programs, community arts centers, and a host of other organizations, The Project's resources were soon in high demand.

In 1998, The Project partnered with Camp Caldera to provide theatre artists for a new program at Blue Lake near Sisters.  The following year, The Young People's Theatre Project Performing Arts Camp was begun, with 30 selected middle and high school students attending a two-week session at Caldera, and returning to Portland to join a Children's Chorus, Junior Ensemble, and Tech Theatre crew to present the musical CHILDREN OF EDEN. This program represented a partnership with Caldera as well as Jesuit High School, where Jeff had become a part-time faculty member in 1991 (when Jeff was asked to increase his teaching load in 1992, he recommended that JHS hire Elaine Kloser -- who was then touring with The Project -- to share the Drama Director position).

The Performing Arts Camp quickly became The Project's primary focus, and today draws far more interest than can be accommodated through existing programming.  Children's Chorus and Junior Ensemble sessions fill quickly, and more students audition for the overnight camp than can be invited to participate.  The Project brings one of Caldera's largest camper population to the facility (over 50), and participants come from throughout the region.  The Senior Campers at Caldera typically represent 15-25 area schools.  Several of these students meet weekly throughout the year as a part of The Project's school-year Core Group.

For middle school students and educators, a second summer show has been added, specifically for 6th through 8th graders.  Each August, a small group of middle school students produce a show designed especially for them, in a two-week daycamp format.  Their production facilitates the creation of set pieces, props, and costumes, which are then made available to area middle school teachers, working to keep the arts alive for their students.  Schools have the choice of renting the sets and costumes, hiring Project artists to help with their production, or contracting The Project to do the whole thing in their school with their students.

In the years ahead, The Project hopes to reintroduce a new generation of elementary school students and educators to its FROM THE MAGIC PEN assembly programs, with the inaugural production in the series of five, FROM THE MAGIC PEN: TALES OF HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN. The entire series of two-person, musical, audience-participation shows is centered on encouraging young people to discover the storyteller and writer within themselves, and each show comes complete with a host of activities for teachers to use in the classroom.

Since accessibility is a primary concern, new fundraising efforts have begun, and The Project is actively pursuing new funding sources as this exciting new phase of the company's development is entered.  Please join us as we continue our exciting journey of service to young people of all ages!

 

Project News  
  •  Click Here to visit our new Photo Gallery page, with production photos of past Performing Arts Camp and Second Stage shows! Note:  Photo Galleries take time to load.  You may even receive an error message that the request cannot be processed ... just give it time.  Relax.  Then enjoy!
  • Thank you to Joy Corgain, Project Office Manager since 2005, for her years of service!  We wish you all the best with your future endeavors!
  •    

    Copyright © 2009
    All Rights Reserved.

    The Young People's Theatre Project
    PO Box 25015
    Portland, OR  97298

    503-350-3210