News
CREATIVE ARTS TEAM YOUTH THEATRE PERFORMS AT INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL
September 15, 2008In late July 2008, members of the Creative Arts Team Youth Theatre traveled to Liverpool, England to perform and lead workshops for an international audience. The venue, the prestigious international Contacting the World Festival, was organized by a leading British theatre company. CAT Youth Theatre was the first American company ever selected to participate and was one of only 12 out of 100 applicants chosen this year.
Over the previous ten months, in preparation, CAT Youth Theatre was paired with another participating youth theatre, London’s Project Phakama. Members of both companies engaged in creative exchanges via e-mail, a private My Space page, and “snail mail.”
The exchanges stimulated the CAT Youth Theatre to create a provocative original production. In the Shadows explored one of New York City's "invisible places" -- the African Burial Ground in lower Manhattan -- and used song, movement and images to unearth the roots of racism in America. The show was the hit of the festival, garnering rave reviews from viewers of all ages and from all continents.
Participating in Contacting the World was a life-changing experience. One member expressed her delight at having been “exposed to many different kinds of theatre and people.” Another reported, “I now have an international group of friends I’ll stay connected with.” A third smiled as recalled eating in a “slick” restaurant for the first time. A fourth reflected on his first airplane flight. For most, the single rooms (with private, en-suite bathrooms) in Liverpool college dormitories offered a luxurious respite from typical New York City apartment life.
The award-winning CAT Youth Theatre is a free after-school and weekend program that operates virtually year-round. Its 80 members, ages 11 to 24, come from all five boroughs of New York City and represent 58 different public schools. This year is its 15th anniversary. There are no auditions – just a commitment to be an active part of the CAT Youth Theatre community. New members are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Together, the teens collaboratively create and present original ensemble theatre productions on topical subjects.
The Creative Arts Team (CAT) is the international leader in Applied Theatre – interactive drama as a catalyst for learning and change. Established in 1974, CAT is a university-wide arts-in-education program in residence at the nation’s largest urban public university, The City University of New York. CAT Youth Theatre receives generous funding from a variety of generous government agencies, individuals, foundations, and corporations.
