PALEF core programs and services include but not limited to: providing support services and educational programming to the communities, with ‘hands on’ live musical theater to our demographic. We also provide summer jobs, acting classes and educational field trips to those whom we serve in our myriad programs, including self –esteem and character-building sessions. The history and programming of our arts and arts education organization has been one of providing arts and cultural programs and services for well over twenty-five years to the at risk, disenfranchised and under-served youth and families of our local South Los Angeles and surrounding communities in The Greater Los Angeles areas. Our timeline of these activities usually occur between late Spring and early Fall. For over 30 years we have been programming our basic musical theater and arts education programs with timelines that have been as follows: the first through the fifth weeks have been centered on basic theater and arts education. Participants learn the basics of musical theater, including working backstage, performing onstage, learning music, music theory, and the various forms of musicality designed for legitimate theater. During these weeks all Participants learn the history of live musical theater, the history of the particular musical theater production that they are currently working on, and how to make the event the best by using and/ or introducing the best musical theater practices in the process. PALEF’s hallmark program is “Summer with Shakespeare”, a ten-week theatre arts intensive for youth and young adults between the ages of 14 and 25. Summer with Shakespeare is a paid-work-based learning opportunity serving South Los Angeles, our Participants ‘learn while they earn’.