The Youth Task Force (YTF) assists in facilitating weekly Academy workshops and rehearsals as well as executing special projects. In 2018, YTF founded KINSHIP: An All-Ages Queer Variety Show to provide a space for queer youth, prioritizing queer youth of color, to showcase their talents and experiement with theatrical art forms like poetry, dance, drag performance, song-writing, and much more! Task Force members also work on various AFT committees, productions, and projects based on their professional and personal goals.
Youth Task Force
Current Youth Task Force News
AFT’s Youth Task Force is currently being redesigned to include closer mentorship opportunities within the organization and provide even more artistic opportunities for creative youth leadership. More information coming soon!
Meet the 2019-2020 Youth Task Force
Angelíca Grace, Sharon Pasia, and Micah Manternach are About Face Theatre’s Youth Task Force, fierce and fabulous returning ensemble members and rising community leaders at About Face Theatre. They have trained with AFYT, they are committed to action, and they are eager to collaborate. They are the curators and founders of KINSHIP: An All-Ages Queer Variety Show!
Angelíca Grace (she/her)
Angelíca is a trans, Filipino, Chicago-based actor and drag performer. She’s worked with About Face Youth Theatre, Victory Gardens, The New Colony, The Route 66 Theatre Company, National New Play Network, Random Acts, Eclectic Theatre Company, The Gift Theatre, Asian Improv Arts Midwest, and Jedlicka Performing Arts. She’s been an ensemble member at AFYT for 6 years and serves on the Youth Task Force. She also serves on the Board of Directors at About Face. Through her work on the Youth Task Force, she co-created and curates KINSHIP: An All Ages Queer Variety Show which highlights young, queer performers of color in Chicago. Angelíca is also a company member of Random Acts. In drag, she’s performed at The Fly Honey Show, Salonathon, Queer Abstract, Young Lungs, #SafeSpace, The Newness: A Salon, Adobo Variety Hour, and Auntie’s Treasures. Follow her on Instagram @missangelicagrace!
Micah Manternach (he/they)
Micah is incredibly honored to have been working consistently with About Face Theatre for a few years now, and performed in 20/20 and Scary Stories to Save Your Life with AFYT most recently! Since moving to the Windy City in 2017, they’ve loved working with many different programs and theatres around the city, but AFT has always been a place for them to call ‘home’. Micah was brought onto the YTF in November 2018, and has been provided with such overwhelming support and love by their other Task Force members, Angelíca and Sharon. And as a part of the Youth Task Force, they helped co-create/host multiple KINSHIP events around the Chicagoland area; most recently at Steppenwolf Theatre Company as apart of their OutLook Series in June 2019. Before moving to the city, they starred in productions as Bedevere from Monty Python’s Spamalot, Danny from Grease, as well as many others. While dabbling in productions, Micah spent a summer attending the University of Iowa’s Belin-Blank Summer Institute for the Performing Arts. Micah hopes to continue their work in the arts past high school and is looking into university BFA acting programs across the nation, and cannot see life without being involved in theatre.
Sharon Pasia (she/they)
Sharon is an unapologetically queer Filipinx performer that’s based here in Chicago. This is their fourth year in the youth ensemble and third year in AFT’s Youth Task Force. Alongside Angelíca and Micah, you may know them as one of the hosts of KINSHIP. Recent theatre, film, and industrial credits include Nani (Pakalolo Sweet), Alice (Holy Saturday), and Rose Gonzalez (Telephone Game). When they’re not doing art stuff, you can catch them training Pokemon, longboarding, or journaling whilst sipping on some iced americanos at a local coffee shop near you.