It’s not easy being Ugly. That’s “Ugly” as in “duckling,” the “aesthetically challenged farmyard fowl” rejected by everyone except for his mama in Honk!, the musical adaptation of the famous story in which a young swan finds himself rejected by a family of ducks.
But later this week, dozens of kids are going to want to be Ugly—so badly, in fact, they’ll be lining up for it, waiting to audition for the lead role in the first Santa Cruz production by the Christian Youth Theater (CYT). The new arts outfit has some well-placed supporters.
“CYT is a really fantastic organization—one that fills a need we feel is missing here in Santa Cruz, in the theater and in working with children,” says Skip Epperson, Cabrillo College’s Theater Arts Program Chair, a noted set designer and a CYT board member. “And Honk! is such a fun show, with a variety of roles and a large cast, which gives as many kids the opportunity to be on stage as possible.”
Despite what its name would suggest, CYT is not affiliated with a church. “It’s not a religion class,” says Carol Chandler, who helped bring the program to town. “A teacher may pray in the beginning of class and they have the freedom to talk about their beliefs, but the Christian faith is not in our lesson plans. The syllabus, the lesson plans are all related to the subject.”
The nation’s largest after-school theater arts training program, it has affiliates across the U.S. and Canada. It offers three (fall, winter and spring) 10-week sessions during the school year at a cost of $185 in which kids 6 to 18 can take a Thursday evening class in voice, dance or acting (the youngest take an interdisciplinary class that teaches the basics of all three). At the end of the session, all the classes perform a showcase. Additionally, kids 8 and older can audition for Honk!, which also involves Friday and Saturday rehearsals. The show happens in March; the first CYT classes start Jan. 6.
Chandler and her husband Peter played a major role in bringing the after-school program to Santa Cruz County. They moved from Vancouver in 2007 for Peter’s job (he’s a doctor at Natividad Medical Center in Salinas). Their daughter had been involved in CYT in Vancouver and loved it. The program helped her develop persistence and self-confidence, both parents say, and taught her to sing and perform in front of an audience. They wanted the same experience for her in Santa Cruz.
“We were looking for something similar, but most of the other programs here are quite a bit more expensive; you enroll your child and you expect your child will get a part in the production,” says Carol.
She mentioned it to Mary Jo Epperson (Skip’s wife), who decided to gauge local interest on Facebook. Nearly 40 people responded.
“It turned out people were interested,” Carol says. “All these doors started opening, and almost a year later, we’re about to start.”
Heather LaForge is the new group’s artistic director. She worked for CYT in Southern California while earning her doctorate in theater from UC-San Diego.
“I’m excited about providing a space where kids can really grow as artists, develop their talents and gain confidence in a theater setting,” she says. “CYT provides a really healthy, wholesome environment in which that can happen.
“And because I do have this academic side to me, I like that it really emphasizes the teaching aspect. The main point is not the production; it’s about creating a community where kids and learn and grow. First kids have to be in a class to even audition. They are not just working with a director, but they have teachers who are investing in their lives. At the end of the 10 weeks, not only have they put on a show, but they’ll walk away with skills and confidence.”
The classroom piece of CYT is what sets it apart from other after-school theater programs, Epperson adds. And the high-quality instruction translates into top-notch performances at the end of the 10-week session.
“There are several children’s programs and theaters where the primary focus is on the stage show,” he says. “One of the things I found very intriguing with CYT is that the focus is on training, through classes; therefore, it makes the product of the performance one that is a lot stronger and more enjoyable for the people coming to see it. It certainly helps put the power and confidence in the performers—the children. At the end of the 10 weeks, I want the student to say, ‘I really learned a lot; that was a great experience. I want to come back and do it again.’”
For more information, email [email protected] or visit www.cyt.org.
