In 1985, Pacific Resident Theatre Ensemble established itself first and foremost as an ensemble of theater artists. Today, that ensemble effort continues with a company of 125 artists, who typically create 12 to 17 theatrical productions across the calendar year; and who present numerous staged readings of predominantly new works. Our company’s artistic work is split between a main stage theater, where productions are produced by the Artistic Director, and a democratic Actor’s Co-op for company members to create new work, to mount “old chestnuts,” or to otherwise present their personal dream project. It’s a space where new and diverse voices receive the artistic support to learn their craft, grow and flourish. PRT also hosts Theatre Fare: a free, monthly play reading and theater class for seniors taught by one of our company members and long time community engager, Mary Jane.
Two years ago, Pacific Resident Theatre founded its Youth Conservatory. Public school students have little or no access to the enrichment of arts programming. In Los Angeles, this problem is compounded by the increased level of poverty among families with children, which translates to even less access to educational and arts programs.
PRT Youth Conservatory (PRTYC) plays a vital role in addressing this problem. Over the past two years, PRTYC has offered free classes in theatre arts, including acting, writing, improvisation, voice, and movement taught by internationally respected theater professionals. While children from all backgrounds are welcomed and included, PRTYC specifically strives to target children from underserved communities by reaching out to schools in those locations, homeless shelters, and community organizations in the Los Angeles area to identify children who are gifted, creative, interested, and able to attend our classes. Since 2018, PRTYC has enrolled over 400 students from schools and organizations in Venice and surrounding areas.