YOUTH PROJECTS (1999-2002)

The San Francisco Mime Troupe Youth Project pairs theatre artists with youth teams centered in various neighbourhoods of the city. In eight weeks the artists and youth create an original play with live music based on issues the youth are grappling with. As an artist for three seasons and project director for one, I worked for two years with youth from my Mission District neighbourhood, and went on to develop the first Queer Youth teams, in year one with street involved LGBTQ2S youth in the Castro district and in year two with participants from various high school Gay Straight Alliances in the city.  

The East Bay Centre for the Performing Arts embedded artists in the schools in Richmond CA, one of the highest crime cities in the US. We worked with children who were not able to maintain in the regular school system and created original theatre, visual art and writing projects. We also contributed to curriculum development for Arts in the Public schools.

The Museum of Children's Art in Oakland embedded artists in the schools and through MCAO I worked in East Oakland with elementary, high school and special needs students in collaborative art making projects including writing, mural and theatre projects.

The Magic Theatre Young Playwrights Program embedded playwrights in the classrooms of high schools throughout the Bay Area. I worked in Castlemont High school in East Oakland and in the SF School of the Arts (SOTA) working with young writers to develop plays based in their lives and experiences. The plays were then performed in a staged reading with professional actors at the Magic Theatre in San Francisco.