Theatre is magic. Every play begins with an empty space and a handful of actors. Together, the Players embark on an incredible journey, working together to create something from nothing. In the end, there is a story-a great illusion of complex relationships and emotions that can move one’s soul. But it always starts with just a space and the actors. It is in the imaginations of the Players that the play takes shape and is born.

Children are natural actors, natural artists. In their wild imaginations, they have the power to go anywhere, create anything and be anything! It is the goal of The Young Players to give kids an opportunity to have a direct experience of their own highest creativity. We want kids everywhere to experience the same joy that actors experience when they create together.

So we bring the magic of the theatre out to elementary and middle school auditoriums, gyms and cafeterias. We transform the spaces not with elaborate sets or fancy costumes, but with our imaginations…with the belief of children!

Everywhere we go, we meet kids who come to the workshops energized and enthusiastic. We talk to parents and administrators who are excited that we are bringing drama to their school. When each workshop begins, we feel that same magic, the fresh beginning, the sense that anything can happen!

Rather than focus on producing elaborate plays with sets and costumes, we invite the kids to share their own stories and experiences to create plays that have personal meaning. We also bring in stories from throughout history and stories from different cultures. Kids act out their interpretations of these tales, often creating extremely innovative pieces.

One of our warm-up activities is called “Paint the Music.” We play beautiful music and ask the children to listen carefully, and “paint” on an imaginary canvas what they see. It only takes a minute before the “paint brushes” are moving in bold or painstakingly minute directions. When we are finished, we ask the kids what they have painted, and suddenly, the room is full of color and fanciful delights. We ask them to hang up their paintings to decorate the room and they hurry off to find a special place to hang their piece. Never once have I had a child say, “but the painting isn’t real,” because for them, it is as real as the things they can actually see. In less than five minutes, we have created something from nothing, and the children have experienced the joy and magic of theatre. And we have only just begun.

The benefits of participating in our drama program often last well beyond the workshop, as kids experience the world through their own imaginations.

–Janea Dahl, Director of The Young Players