Harbor Playhouse Company

PROMOTION/PRODUCTION OF LIVE THEATRE

FOR OVER NINETY YEARS, THE HARBOR PLAYHOUSE HAS BEEN AN ARTISTIC STAPLE ACROSS THE COASTAL BEND AND ALL THROUGHOUT ALL OF SOUTH TEXAS. EACH HARBOR PLAYHOUSE PRODUCTION TELLS A STORY-BOTH ON STAGE AND WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY OF VOLUNTEERS. WE ARE THE PLACE WHERE THE FABRIC OF OUR COMMUNITY STORY IS WOVEN AND STRENGTHENED THROUGH THE CATALYST OF CREATIVE COMMUNITY COLLABORATION.OVER 100,000 HOURS ARE DONATED BY OUR VOLUNTEERS EVERY YEAR. THESE VOLUNTEERS RANGE FROM AGE FOUR TO EIGHTY. ACTORS, TECHNICIANS, USHERS, COSTUMERS, PROPS, CONCESSION STAFF, BOX OFFICE, AND PARKING ATTENDANTS MAKE UP OUR HUGE VOLUNTEER PRESENCE. GENERATIONS OF FAMILIES DESCRIBE THEIR EXPERIENCES AT THE PLAYHOUSE AS A POWERFUL INFLUENCE IN SHAPING THEIR LIVES AND HONING IMPORTANT LIFE SKILLS, I.E., DISCIPLINE, TEAMWORK, TIME MANAGEMENT, PROJECT MANAGEMENT, INITIATIVE, AND CONFIDENCE.

OUR ACCLAIMED YOUNG PEOPLE'S THEATRE CAMP (YPTC) AT HARBOR PLAYHOUSE IS BOTH A CREATIVE AND EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE. CAMPERS FROM FIVE TO FIFTEEN ENJOY A SPIRITED ATMOSPHERE OF LEARNING ABOUT ALL AREAS OF THEATRE ARTS AS WELL AS DEVELOPING LIFE SKILLS THAT WILL BENEFIT THEM IN ALL ASPECTS OF THEIR LIVES. EACH THEME WEEK OF CAMP OFFERS SPECIALIST TRAINING IN CHOREOGRAPHY, VOICE AND ACTING AS WELL AS PLAYWRITING, SET BUILDING, CREATING PROPS AND ELEMENTS OF TECHNICAL THEATRE IN SOUND, LIGHTING AND OPERATING THE FLY SYSTEM. IN MERELY FIVE DAYS THE CAMPERS WRITE, LEARN SONGS AND CHOREOGRAPHY, REHEARSE AND THEN PERFORM FOR A FULL HOUSE OF FAMILIES AND FRIENDS EACH FRIDAY AFTERNOON. HARBOR PLAYHOUSE'S YPTC HAS GROWN EVERY YEAR. IN THE SUMMER OF 2021, WE WELCOMED OVER 700 CAMPERS WITH 30% OF ALL CAMPERS ATTENDING ON FULL SCHOLARSHIP GENEROUSLY DONATED THROUGH CORPORATE AND INDIVIDUAL SUPPORTERS. WE RECEIVE MANY LETTERS OF GRATITUDE FROM PARENTS AND GRANDPARENTS AS WELL AS FOSTER PARENTS COMMENTING ON THE POSITIVE INFLUENCE THE CAMP HAD ON THEIR YOUNGSTERS. ONE SUCH LETTER INDICATED THAT SEVERAL OF THE CHILDREN WERE EXTREMELY VULNERABLE AND, THROUGH THE POWER OF THE PERFORMING ARTS IN THE ACCEPTING AND AFFIRMING ATMOSPHERE OF THE CAMP, THEY BLOSSOMED AND BEGAN TO EXCEL ACADEMICALLY IN MATH, READING AND SPORTS AS WELL AS INCREASING THEIR ABILITY TO CONCENTRATE AND THEIR WILLINGNESS TO ENGAGE WITH OTHERS. THE LETTER WENT ON TO SAY, "WHAT YOU DO AT THE PLAYHOUSE IS TAKE A CHILD WHO HAS BEEN DAMAGED IN LIFE AND NO LONGER TRUSTS THE WORLD AND RESTORED HOPE AND THE BELIEF THAT THEY CAN ACHIEVE ANYTHING IF THEY BELIEVE IN THEMSELVES AND BELIEVE THAT THEY ARE LOVED BY THEIR COMMUNITY."WE ARE CHANGING THE WORLD ONE CHILD AT A TIME AND ARE PROUD TO PLAY AN IMPORTANT PART IN THE CULTURAL AND ARTISTIC STORY OF OUR COMMUNITY.