Fort Wayne Youtheatre Incorporated

THE MISSION OF THE FORT WAYNE YOUTHEATRE IS TO EDUCATE, ENGAGE, AND ENTERTAIN AREA YOUTH AND FAMILIES THROUGH THEATRE ARTS. FOUNDED BY MRS. CHAN RAY AND MRS. LESTER JACOBS IN 1934 AS PART OF OLD FORT PLAYERS (NOW THE CIVIC THEATRE), THE FORT WAYNE YOUTHEATRE IS THE FIFTH OLDEST CHILDREN'S THEATRE IN THE NATION AND OFFERS A COMPLETE THEATRE EXPERIENCE TO CHILDREN AGES 3 TO 18 THROUGH THREE KEY PROGRAMS; PRODUCTIONS, CLASSES AND CAMPS, AND OUTREACH.

FORT WAYNE YOUTHEATRE CONTINUES TO SEE A RECOVERY FROM POST PANDEMIC SETBACKS. YOUTHEATRE'S BOX OFFICE AND CLASS AND CAMP ATTENDANCE/REVENUE IS ON PAR WITH LAST YEAR'S USING 18-19 FY AS A BASELINE FOR A "NORMAL YEAR". YOUTHEATRE SAW GROWTH IN BOX OFFICE ATTENDANCE/REVENUE AND GROWTH FOR CLASSES AND CAMPS ATTENDANCE/REVENUE. THIS POSITIVE GROWTH IS MIRRORED BY AN INCREASE IN DONATIONS BY 59% FROM BASELINE FY 18-19 FROM COMMUNITY PARTNERS WHO ARE INVESTED IN SEEING THE ORGANIZATION GROW. WHILE THESE TWO-YEARS OF NUMBERS ARE NOT ENOUGH TO SUGGEST A TREND, THEY ARE A POSITIVE INDICATOR THAT YOUTHEATRE IS GROWING POST PANDEMIC AND NOT SEEING AN ANTICIPATED SLIP. BECAUSE YOUTHEATRE IS ON A SOLID FOUNDATION FOR ATTENDANCE AND INCOME, THE ORGANIZATION HAS BEEN ABLE TO CONTINUE EXISTING AND CREATE NEW STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS WITH AREA ORGANIZATIONS. YOUTHEATRE'S OUTREACH CONTINUES TO TREND BACK TO NORMAL CONDITIONS NOW THAT THE MORE SERIOUS EFFECTS OF THE PANDEMIC SEEM TO BE WANING. WORKSHOPS AT AREA BRIGHTPOINTS, AND TURNSTONE WERE BACK TO A MOSTLY NORMAL SCHEDULE. YOUTHEATRE AND BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB ARE IN THE FINAL YEAR OF A THREE-YEAR PLAN TO BRING THEATRE EXPERIENCES AND CLASSES AT THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB OF FORT WAYNE. YOUTHEATRE WILL TOUR A PRODUCTION TO B&G CLUB IN THE FALL AND IS PARTNERING WITH B&G CLUB ON THE YOUNG HEROES OF CONSCIENCE PRODUCTION OF RUBY BRIDGES. THIS PRODUCTION WILL INCLUDE MEMBERS OF THE B&G CLUB, AS WELL AS HOLD AUDITIONS AND REHEARSALS AT THE B&G CLUB. COMMUNITY COLLABORATIONS: AS PART OF ITS STRATEGIC PLAN, YOUTHEATRE CONTINUES TO FOSTER COMMUNITY COLLABORATIONS. THESE COLLABORATIONS ALLOW YOUTHEATRE TO REACH MORE YOUTH AND FAMILIES AND HELP ITS MISSION BY DEEPLY INTEGRATING THEATRE ARTS EDUCATION INTO MORE AREAS OF THE COMMUNITY. FORT WAYNE DANCE COLLECTIVE: YOUTHEATRE AND FWDC CONTINUE THEIR POPULAR DRAMA AND DANCE CAMPS. THESE CAMPS HAVE REACHED CAPACITY EACH YEAR. THIS COLLABORATION WILL CONTINUE INTO SUMMER 24. FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH/THEATRE: PROVIDING TEACHERS FOR FPC MADD (ARTS CAMP) FOR A SECOND SUMMER, FPC HOSTED BOTH YOUTHEATRE'S RISING STARS ACTING CAMP FOR A SECOND SUMMER IN 2023, FPC IS THE HOME FOR YOUTHEATRE'S 4 PRODUCTIONS. FPT WILL ALLOW YOUNG TECHNICIANS TO HAVE MORE HANDS ON WITH LIGHTING AND SOUND EQUIPMENT AS WELL AS WORKING ALONGSIDE THE THEATRE'S TECHNICAL DIRECTOR. YOUTHEATRE AND FPT WILL CO-PRODUCED PRODUCTIONS IN APRIL OF 24 AND OCTOBER OF 24. WBOI BROADCASTS YOUTHEATRE'S RADIO SHOW PRODUCTION WYTR HALLOWEEN TALES. THIS COLLABORATION WILL CONTINUE IN 23-24. UNIVERSITY OF SAINT FRANCIS: RECORDING YOUTHEATRE'S "WYTR HALLOWEEN TALES" FOR THE WBOI BROADCAST. THIS COLLABORATION WILL CONTINUE INTO 22-23. YOUTHEATRE ALSO WORKS WITH THE USF GRAPHIC DESIGN DEPARTMENT BY PROVIDING A PAID INTERNSHIP FOR A GRAPHIC DESIGN STUDENT. ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY: YOUTHEATRE'S WYTR RADIO SHOW WILL HHAVE PUBLIC PERFORMANCES ASPART OF THE ACPL'S HALLOWEEN EVENTS. THE EMBASSY THEATRE: THE EMBASSY CONTINUES TO PROVIDE SIX TO EIGHT WEEKS OF REHEARSAL SPACE FOR YOUTHEATRE'S PRODUCTIONS ON THEIR JOURNAL GAZETTE EDUCATION FLOOR. THIS COLLABORATION WILL CONTINUE IN 23/24. EMBASSY AND YOUTHEATRE COLLABORATED ON THE EMBASSY'S SCORE SUMMER THEATRE PROGRAM AGAIN THIS SUMMER. THIS COLLABORATION WILL CONTINUE INTO SUMMER 24. BOTH ORGANIZATIONS PARTNER ON THE "LET'S PUT ON A SHOW" MUSICAL THEATRE CAMP FOR GRADES 1-3, WHERE YOUTH REHEARSE A SHORTENED BROADWAY MUSICAL. CAPSTONE FOR THIS CAMP IS A PUBLIC PERFORMANCE ON THE EMBASSY STAGE. YOUTHEATRE WILL PRESENT THE SCHOOL PERFORMANCE OF THE YOUNG HEROES OF CONSCIENCE PRODUCTION AT THE EMBASSY THEATRE IN APRIL OF 24. BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB: YOUTHEATRE TOURS ITS FALL PRODUCTION TO THE B&G CLUB. THIS COLLABORATION WILL CONTINUE IN OCTOBER 23 AND WILL OFFER THEATRE WORKSHOPS IN 23/24. AUDIENCES UNLIMITED: 22/23 YOUTHEATRE CREATED THE NEURODIVERSITY PROJECT WITH AUDIENCES UNLIMITED. THIS COLLABORATION WILL FOCUS ON THE CREATION OF A NEW WORK OF THEATRE WITH TEN NEURO- DIVERGENT YOUTH AND TEN NEURO-TYPICAL YOUTH, OVER A FIVE-MONTH PERIOD. BOTH ORGANIZATIONS PLAN FOR THIS PROGRAM WILL HAPPEN BIENNIALLY. NEW FOR THE 23-24 SEASON. ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY: YOUTHEATRE AND ACPL MAIN BRANCH WILL BEGIN A NEW PERFORMANCE PROGRAM CALLED STORIES FROM THE STACKS: THEATRE FOR YOUNG READERS. THIS PROGRAM PRODUCES SHOWS AIMED AT YOUTH PRE-K THROUGH 3RD GRADE AND USE SCRIPTS BASED ON CHILDREN'S BOOKS SUCH AS P.D. EASTMAN'S CLASSIC GO DOG GO, EZRA JACK KEATS CALDECOTT AWARD WINNING THE SNOWY DAY. YOUTHEATRE AND THE ALLEN COUNTY LIBRARY MAIN BRANCH WILL PARTNER ON THIS PROJECT IN ORDER TO HELP CHILDREN GAIN CONFIDENCE IN READING AND BUILD A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LIBRARY SO THAT IT CAN BECOME A PLACE OF ENDLESS IMAGINATIVE DISCOVERY. THIS PROGRAM WOULD BE PRESENTED IN THE THEATRE OF THE ACPL MAIN BRANCH AND ALL FIVE PERFORMANCES WOULD BE OFFERED FOR FREE TO THE COMMUNITY.