Retirement! It’s a loaded word, generally creating a couple of responses in those facing it – abject terror or huge relief. Soon to be retirees worry that they will become nobodies in the world they have served, forgotten, like that outdated pair of shoes in the closet that you haven’t worn for twenty years or, [...]

Dr. James Larson is retiring this spring after 28 years as artistic director of the Omaha Theater Company for Young People.  Over the decades, many thousands of Omaha children received their introduction to live theater through their experiences at The Rose because of the leadership and commitment to accessibility of James Larson. “I feel like [...]

The world of performances for young audiences and theater education in North America is mourning the loss of one of our best and brightest, Colleen Porter, who passed away on Thursday March 22, 2012 after a long illness. Colleen Porter has been the Director of Community Engagement and Education at PlayhouseSquare since 2002. Porter is responsible [...]

I was so fortunate to receive the opportunity to attend the One Theatre World Conference through the Ann Shaw Fellowship.  I learned a great deal about theatre for young audiences happening across the country and what kind of work is capturing the hearts of theatre professionals.  I was excited and surprised to find how many [...]

To me the big advantage of IPAY is having the opportunity to see and gain better understanding of what others are working on. In three days you see tons of shows, walk around the exhibit hall seeing how touring shows are booked and meet theatre professionals from around the globe. It’s both exhausting and exhilarating. [...]

Last week I was able to attend the International Performing Arts for Youth (IPAY) Showcase in my sunny hometown of Austin, Texas, which presented incredible performances of music, vaudeville, contemporary dance, theatre, and puppetry from all over the world. One hot topic at IPAY Showcase 2012 was the “Participatory Arts Experience,” which is an umbrella [...]

“Don’t start with what you can afford. Start with what you want. Then find a way of getting it.” -Nellie McCaslin  Graduate school takes an investment of time, energy and money. When I was considering graduate school, through the application process and even into my first year of study I kept asking myself the same [...]

It is summer of 2002, and I am sitting in a class called “Theatre for Young Audiences”. Having majored in theatre, part of me is wondering why I am taking a class geared toward young audiences. I didn’t even realize there was a difference? Did there have to be a difference, theatre is theatre. I [...]

Reading all of these voices from “the academy” on the TYA USA blog reminds me that we are lucky to be in field that continually works to build bridges between theory and practice—between the academy and the profession. I am writing from my office at the University of Texas at Austin. Today alone I’ve engaged [...]

The University of North Carolina at Greensboro is thrilled to unveil the newly redesigned MFA in Theatre for Youth. With the goal of getting graduates back into the field quickly, the program has been condensed from three years to two, maintaining the 60-hour degree structure.  Through an intense, focused curriculum, we maintain our concentration on [...]