Grantee Database
SAN FRANCISCO YOUTH THEATRE
Grant Year
2024-25
Grant Program
Impact Projects
Award Amount
$20,832.00
Project Description
With support from the California Arts Council, SAN FRANCISCO YOUTH THEATRE will collaborate with Eclectic Box, a Queer theater space dedicated to supporting emerging artists, to produce Bruce Coleman’s ANDI BOI, a play about a transgender teen returning to school in September with a changed gender expression. The play highlights the challenges of being accepted as our authentic selves.
The project will connect to schools and community organizations that serve Queer youth and their families. The mixed-aged cast will include teens and adults, who will receive payment for their participation. Eclectic Box adult directors and actors will serve as creative and technical mentors to the teens.
ANDI BOI will be performed at Eclectic Box for two weekends, including two days of free school shows and a performance dedicated to families with Queer and trans teens.
Organization Summary
Founded in 2014, SFYT provides fully-accessible arts training and performance opportunities for youth ages 4-24 onsite at its Mission District location and through SFUSD schools and Community-based organizations. Primary beneficiaries are grades PreK–College low-income youth with limited access to theatre arts, including youth who are low income, LGBTQ+, youth with disabilities, newcomers, and English language learners. Transitional-aged youth (18-24) participate in SFYT’s Emerging Theatre Professional Program which provides a pathway to arts careers through internships and employment opportunities. SFYT serves ≈1200 students in year-round school day and after school programs.
SFYT offers a broad array of activities that include skill-building classes in acting, music, dance, movement, visual art, playwriting, and production. Fall skill-building classes evolve into spring performance ensembles for elementary through college-aged students. All onsite classes and ensembles are on a sliding scale, with no one turned away for lack of funds. School programs are offered at no fee to students.
SFYT’s ongoing creative programs, onsite and at SFUSD, include:
–Story Theatre (PreK-1): Creative exploration through literature for young children.
–Theatre and movement classes for children with disabilities.
–”Teatro en español”: Spanish bilingual programming for students PreK-12
–Madcap Players (Elementary): Theatre skill-building and performance using stories from around the world.
–415 Teen Ensemble (Middle & High School): Theatre skill-building classes leading to full-scale productions of plays with social justice themes.
–Queer Drama: A space for Queer youth to develop their creative voices.
–SFYT DREAM Ensemble: A professional touring ensemble for transitional-aged youth that performs original social justice theatre and leads workshops at schools throughout California, such as Gary Soto’s “The Afterlife” about teen violence and suicide, and Alma Flor Ada’s “Dancing Home” about child immigration. DREAM Ensemble members also work as teaching assistants in younger theatre classes.
Organization
San Francisco Youth Theatre
Address
3106 Folsom Street
San Francisco
94110
County
San Francisco
Region
Bay Area – San Francisco
Phone
(415) 571-1234
Congressional District
California's 12th congressional district
State Assembly District
District 17
State Senate District
District 11
