OUR PROGRAMMING

About Face Youth Theatre exists as a hub for queer youth activism and theatre-making in the city of Chicago. Through rigorous artistic training, youth gain invaluable public speaking skills, and strong self confidence in their identities. Our Youth Theatre alumni have gone on to become journalists, dancers, directors, theatre educators, scholars and designers of award-winning LGBTQ programs throughout the country, most notably the Broadway Youth Center’s (BYC) LGBTQ Mentorship program, the only program of its kind in the nation.

Our programming includes:

  • Saturday Queer Theatre Ensemble: three six-week activist theatre workshops provided during the school year. These workshops are held at Center on Halsted.
  • About Face Youth Theatre Summer Intensive: A five-week summer program, which involves the creation of a mainstage production. Youth act as the interviewers, playwrights, and performers in the production, and are mentored by a full adult artistic team who teaches them collectively and individually about a professional rehearsal process including: sound design, lighting design, set design, production management, stage management and direction.
  • Educational Touring Performances and Workshops: About Face Theatre takes the conversation about LGBTQ identities to high schools, community events, colleges and conferences with various performances and workshops. Currently, we are touring three shows:  FAST FORWARD (a play about the challenges of being gay in high school and the sex education crisis in America),  AS BIG AS THE WORLD (a play about the cultural and activist history of HIV/AIDS), and  HOW TO HAVE A FRIENDSHIP IN AMERICA(A play about overcoming stereotypes concerning race and sexual identity). In addition to touring plays, we host education workshops on LGBTQ identities and how to create safer schools for LGBTQ students.

OUR YOUTH LEADERSHIP COUNCIL

Our youth leadership is engaged in design, planning, and implementation phases of all of our Youth Theatre programming. Youth leaders set the agenda for the Youth Theatre, and work closely with program staff to write policy, establish program goals, and implement each phase of the creation of Youth Theatre activities. Furthermore, with our new Youth Initiative, the Youth Theatre Ensemble will participate on all levels of the company. They will lead post-show discussions for our entire season, participate in Master Classes with Pulitizer-prize and Tony-award winning artists and engage in our college sessions with leading queer theatre artists and activists.

OUR PARTNERS

Through our partnerships with Howard Brown Health Center, Center on Halsted, UIC and Beyondmedia Education, youth are provided specialized workshops on anti-oppression methodology, queer youth homelessness, the cultural history of HIV/AIDS, LGBTQ-inclusive sexual health and media literacy. About Face Youth Theatre aims to bring the city’s best resources directly to youth through our activist theatre workshops.