Proud Theater

By Brian Wild

Directed by Brian Wild

What: Proud Theater looking for interested youth, ages 13-18, for its 2008-2009 season

When: Every Wednesday evening starting September 10th 2008 - 5:30PM to 9:00 PM

Youth may enjoy open enrollment until November 19, 2008
Where: First Congregational Church - 1609 University Ave, 3rd floor - Madison WI

More info: Call Brian Wild - 1-608-469-6685 or write to proudtheater@gmail.com, or visit our website at www.proudtheater.org.

Proud Theater - an award-winning, exciting and innovative youth theater program designed to foster self-expression and self-empowerment for Madison-area youth – is opening its doors through November 19, 2008 to youth ages 13 to 18 interested in changing the world through the power of theater. Proud Theater was founded in 2000 by Sol Kelley-Jones and Callen Harty and is currently aligned with Outreach, Inc – Madison’s LGBTQ resource center. Proud theater is open to any youth who identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, or queer/questioning (LGBTQ), or who are the sons or daughters of LGBTQ parents, or allies of the LGBTQ community at large.

The youth gather Wednesday nights at 5:30pm throughout the school year at First Congregational Church in Madison to improvise, create, and perform theatrical pieces, poetry and music that reflect the realities of their young lives. They then share their work at performances throughout the year in the larger community – and end the year with a cumulative production in Spring, 2009 (TBD).

The teens of Proud Theater collaboratively create all the plays and theatrical pieces themselves, with guidance from Proud Theater Artistic Director Brian Wild and prominent adult members of the Madison community including Callen Harty – Local Playwright and Artistic Director of Broom Street Theater, local playwright/actor Heather Renken, Emma Zeldin – LGBTQ activist in Madison, and youth councilor/adult mentor Amber Becker.

Proud Theater enjoys additional support from Outreach Inc, the New Harvest Foundation, StageQ and other members of the Madison area theater and business community. The emphasis on original theater, music, prose and poetry makes Proud Theater stand out among other like groups from across the country.

Homophobia presents many challenges in the lives of young people. As a result, these self-described “queer” youth may be more likely than their heterosexual counterparts to experience depression, family estrangement, school problems, and substance abuse. In response, Proud Theater offers encouragement, inspiration, and support on many different levels. It builds upon the youths’ innate resilience—providing them with community, security, peer support, and mentorship. This in turn, contributes to their positive engagement with school, overall health, self-esteem and stability.

Proud Theater's tradition of celebrating rainbow symbols has a dual meaning for those members of the group who have multiracial identities. In addition to producing pieces that work to counter homophobia, anti-racist and multicultural themes are integrated into their works.

For youth interested in becoming part of Proud Theater, please contact Brian Wild either by phone at 608-469-6685 or by e-mail – proudtheater@gmail.com.

Produced by Proud Theater at ,

Performances: September 10 - December 31, 2008

Performance Times: Open Enrollement starts Sept 10 and goes through Nov 19, 2008.

Ticket Prices:

Call 608-469-6685 for reservations or more information.

Auditions

Auditions will be held on the following days:

9/10/2009
9/17/2008
9/24/2008
10/1/2008

This is more of an open enrollment for youth ages 13-18 years old. Anyone who comes can participate. New people will be accepted only through Nov 19th, 2008.