Dan Friedman

The opening of Crown Heights, the first production of the All Stars' newest program, Youth Onstage!, was an exciting inaugural performance at the All Stars new 42nd Street center! Led by Dan Friedman, a founder of the Castillo Theatre and long time artistic collaborator of Castillo's artistic director Fred Newman, Youth OnStage! (YO!) was created to offer young people the opportunity to explore the many disciplines of professional theater in an environment of development and cooperation.

"We faced many challenges bringing Crown Heights to the stage," says Friedman, who co-wrote the play with Newman. "The intense 4-month rehearsal period started with 40 young cast members, most of whom hadn't acted before. By closing night, March 7th, eighteen young performers remained. In the six-month period of work, the young artists grappled with learning performance skills, political issues raised by the play and new ways of working -- collectively and developmentally."

"Producing Crown Heights and building Youth Onstage! also involved organizing adults. A remarkable team of professional theatre people volunteered to help train the cast." This coaching staff included: Susan Finch (voice); Sheri Sanders (singing); Josh Adler (movement); Crystal Backus (dance); and Barbara Herel (improvisation).

"Once the play was up, it provoked an amazing response-15 articles in the print media and coverage on three New York television stations. Some responses were strongly positive while others were critical. Nevertheless, the young performers eagerly worked to understand these responses and to embrace their power as creators of theatre that was having an impact on the whole [New York] city."

What did Friedman learn from this first production with Youth OnStage?

"I learned that young people want to do controversial theater. They want to create theatre that functions as a social forum, and that there are many theater professionals who want to help develop a new generation of politically engaged artists.

Coming Up For Youth Onstage!

New Voices a series of readings of new plays by young playwrights. These are taking place on alternating Mondays - February 23, March 8 and March 22. These readings are for "young people, where young actors will read new works. The readings are open to the public and there is a $5.00 suggested donation. "New Voices will allow young playwrights to hear their plays read by actors in public, get feedback and develop their work, while allowing the public to hear talented new playwrights with something to say about the world and its problems."

Word in Progress is a workshop for young poets. Volunteer poet and visual artist Shamba Farrar will team up with Friedman to guide this workshop as a "non-competitive environment" for young poets. Public readings may develop.

The Youth Onstage! Community Performance School will offer acting, playwriting, dance, technical theater and other "craft of the theatre" classes. Depending on the availability of teachers and on-going visits by people "who use performance in their approach to teaching, community organization, management skill development," etc. Here the stress will be on "performance as a life skill, not simply a professional skill."

Looking to the future, Friedman is planning two more plays for next Fall. One will be developed as an experimental workshop and the other will be Robin Hood: A Political Romance, which Friedman wrote. "There will be puppets and songs and swordfights, it will be a lot of fun!"

For more information about Youth Onstage!, please contact Dan Friedman at 212-941-9400 ext. 350