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Grand County youth create original theatre production

Special to the Sky-Hi News

It’s the teen’s turn to dazzle Grand Lake audiences this weekend as the Teen Theatre Academy takes the stage with an original production written entirely by the talented ensemble.

This is the third and final program for Rocky Mountain Repertory Theatre’s highly successful Youth Theatre Programs. More than 40 Grand County teens ages 13 to 18 years of age have been involved in an intensive three-week program focusing on the creation of an original, cabaret-style production under the guidance of director Joel Ewing. The program is designed to showcase the many talents of this summer’s company of actors with original scenes, songs, monologues and performance pieces.

“This summer, we have 10 teens that have been a part of the Youth Theatre Program for 10 years each,” said RMRT Education Director Clare Arena Haden. “That’s 100 years of Youth Theatre experience, which is a testament to the impact this program has on the community. And since the inception of RMRT’s Youth Theatre Program in 1998, we’ve never had a program that was based in such a wonderfully creative method. The teens of Grand County have risen to the challenge of creating this production and have brought their voices to the stage in a beautiful, funny and inspiring fashion.”



Lead by Haden, now in her third year as education director, the Teen Theatre Academy is staffed by four members of the 2013 Rocky Mountain Repertory Theatre Company. Additional members of the company engage the teen ensemble in various theatrical workshops during the intense, three-week session.

Director Joel Ewing is the lead theatre teacher at Senn Fine and Performing Arts Magnet High School in Chicago, Ill., and has brought a unique and empowering process to the workshops in recent years. “The process of creating an original production caters to every skill set and interest of a young artist,” Ewing said. “Whether one of our participants is interested in acting, singing, dancing or writing, having them create something together levels the playing field and allows them to truly collaborate. It’s their willingness to accept each other’s ideas that has made this process a success. The result is something to behold.”




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