Our Programs
CREATIVE YOUTH THEATRE
Creative Youth Theatre (CYT) educates Los Angeles based elementary and middle school aged youth through the exploration of classic story telling elements and the creation of original artistic works. CYT empowers young people to write, create and appear in their own original theatrical piece while cultivating an understanding of the valuable life skills inherent to the play-making process including teamwork, conflict resolution, public speaking, and responsibility.
Students come from diverse ethnic backgrounds where over 90% are categorized as non-White, the largest percentage being African American and Hispanic (80% collectively).
The Need
Only 4% of elementary schools offer theatre. Disadvantaged youth often feel disconnected from their communities and don’t have the pathways they need in order to be successful in school, career, and life. (Source: Americans for the Arts. 2013. Facts & Figures. Washington, DC.)
Our Impact
Our Creative Youth Theatre program is targeted to Los Angeles-based students and is designed to inspire and improve student success, both academically and personally.
Who we serve
Students are typically from underserved areas with low-income populations and limited accessibility to the arts. Students come from diverse ethnic backgrounds where over 90% are categorized as non-White, the largest percentage being African American and Hispanic (80% collectively).
Our Goal
The program meets once a week for 12-16 weeks during the instructional school day or after-school. The curriculum is structured around the fundamentals of theatre, story creation, and behind-the-scenes elements of theatre. CYT students are immersed in all aspects of theatre both on and off stage. Students explore their family backgrounds, daily struggles, inspirations, and the life challenges they face through the process of creating and performing an original theatrical piece. Instructors fully engage the participants with hands-on theatre exercises to cultivate these stories, creating lasting impressions as the students see how their own life connects to what they have created. Themes from previous performed plays include bullying, racism, violence, self-esteem, peer pressure, and depression. Participants also choose specific production roles each week and must accept the responsibility of setting goals and fulfilling their tasks in order to make their play a success. The program culminates with a final performance of their original production. The life skills acquired through the program benefit not only the students, but also their families, schools and communities as these youth mature and become responsible, ethical and productive citizens.
Program Coordinator:
Alexis Farrington-Gallardo
Alexis Farrington-Gallardo has been working in the performing arts since 2016. Alexis enjoys working on creative teams with artists of all backgrounds. She has produced concerts with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and managed several of their young artist programs. Currently, Alexis is pursuing a Masters of Architecture at Cal Poly Pomona. Alexis interests include design, film, and theatre, among other things. In her free time, Alexis loves spending time with her family, friends, and dog, Pilot.
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THEATRE BY THE BLIND
Theatre by the Blind provides visually impaired youth, teen, and adult participants with a constructive and creative forum, both on stage and on screen to confront their challenges while informing the public, raising awareness, and changing perceptions about the capabilities of the blind. These remarkable individuals create and perform original theatrical works that empower and inspire program participants and audiences alike.
Each new program lasts approximately 6 months from start to finish.
The Need
Vision impairment has been identified as 1 of the 4 most significant contributors to lost independence. (Source: Alliance for Aging Research. Independence for Older Americans: An Investment for Our Nation’s Future. Washington, DC: Alliance for Aging Research; 1999) Blindness follows only cancer and AIDS as the biggest health fear by the public. (Source: American Foundation for the Blind. Quick Facts and Figures on Blindness and Low Vision. 2003)
Read moreOur Impact
Theatre by the Blind is the only theatre troupe in the country with an entirely blind cast performing original works. Our participants are not only blind but many also suffer from other ailments and challenges causing them to feel shy, awkward, and further isolated from the world. Theatre by the Blind gives participants a forum in which they can safely explore space to gain mobility and independence.
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Each new program lasts approximately 6 months from start to finish. Participants meet twice a week for 3 – 4 hours at a time in order to conceive the story and their characters, learn their lines, and rehearse the show. Scripts can be translated and printed into Braille, but often the actors choose to tape-record their lines to practice at home. During rehearsals, a series of soft floor mats are pieced together to create a map of the stage that aids the actors in navigating the stage layout and memorizing the location of different set pieces. After months of rehearsal each show culminates with 2 – 3 weeks of performances at The Blue Door, the theatrical home of ArtsUP! LA.
Read moreThe Need
Blindness follows only cancer and AIDS as the biggest health fear by the public. (Source: American Foundation for the Blind. Quick Facts and Figures on Blindness and Low Vision. 2003)
Our Impact
About
THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT
An In-School Assembly Experience
Theatre by the Blind also offers "The Butterfly Effect" – an unforgettable in-school assembly experience for students featuring scenes, songs and personal stories by visually impaired individuals, blind-folded stage navigation and sight-guiding exercises for student volunteers, a moderated question and answer session with the actors, and an introduction to techniques for interacting with the blind.
The Butterfly Effect highlights how the performing arts can help visually impaired individuals push the limits of their disability while inspiring Los Angeles-based students to overcome the challenges they face and affect positive change in their communities.
Program Lead:
Greg Shane
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REX & FRIENDS
Rex & Friends is a program that provides support and training in musical abilities, and performance opportunities for individuals in Southern California who are blind or autistic. Both of these disabilities tend to isolate, and the program is geared to help bridge this isolation. We bring these musicians together and provide ongoing professional support and guidance.
Participants develop musical repertoire in an environment that is sure to grow friendships, self-esteem, and skill while rehearsing and ultimately performing in front of live audiences.
The Need
Our Impact
About
For Rex, the moment his fingers touched a keyboard, his extraordinary mind began to forge a trail for communicative passage to the outside world. Music released the floodgates of other underdeveloped areas of his mind allowing them to flourish unabated by former cognitive restrictions. Rex found his voice, literally and figuratively.
For people living with the challenges of autism, alternative avenues of communication can provide a pathway for the autistic mind to bridge the gap towards interconnection; music is that bridge. Music can transform their lives by offering important cognitive, social and emotional benefits. People who are blind or autistic need extra support (physical assistance, adapted programs, private settings) to access the benefits of enrichment provided by music education and performances. Thanks to his incredible personal journey, Rex and a group of his friends formed a nonprofit to help others find their way across the bridge. Rex and his mother continue to perform and speak around the world to inspire others.
Rex & Friends was founded by Matt Wolf in 2012. Previously a standalone 501(c)(3) charity, Rex & Friends joined forces with ArtsUP! LA for a performance in October 2016. Because of their similar missions of transforming lives through the arts, the two organizations saw profound results from that collaboration. By March 2017, the two organizations committed to a continued partnership, and Rex & Friends became on official program of ArtsUP! LA. Wolf continues his leadership of the program as a current member of the ArtsUP! LA Board of Directors.
Rex & Friends allows musicians to work in a professional studio and to collaborate with their peers on ensemble show pieces, and to explore a variety of musical genres; classical, jazz, gospel, contemporary and rap. The group fosters musical collaborations between a handful of talented musicians (usually 5 – 10 participants), all of whom are on the autism spectrum. The program promotes not only musical growth, but also life growth by providing a forum for friendship and professional collaboration.
Rex & Friends makes rehearsal time and live performances accessible by creating personalized development plans with individuals and families directly. Through the process of perfecting their live performance skills, these very talented individuals are seen as able-bodied musicians and can contribute to the disabled community, and the community at large through their performances.
Program Lead:
Laurie Grant
Laurie is the co-founder and former CEO of LPJ Entertainment LLC, and former Director of Music Marketing and Licensing for Performing Arts Studio West (PASW), as well music educator at PASW where she worked with adults with Autism and other disabilities. Laurie also has expertise in music production, songwriting, and publishing. Hailing from Los Angeles Laurie was a student of Music and Music Business at UCLA, and a graduate of The Grove School of Music with a degree in Jazz and Theory, Ms. Grant has a solid academic and professional background in music composition and arrangement. Grant has co- written, produced and licensed works for a multitude of independent artists and for music placement in film and television. These include songs for Dawson’s Creek, Law & Order, and My Name is Earl
VETERANS EMPOWERMENT THEATRE
According to the American Journal of Public Health, “Veterans returning from war zone deployment are at higher risk for mental health problems and drug and alcohol abuse.”