Youth theater has a strong future, 30 new players taking the stage

You may never get Martha Heise to admit that what she does in organizing and running the annual Youth Theater Summer Camp, with the help of others is remarkable. Herding cats remarkable if you're not an elementary school teacher or a mom of nine or more kids.

​Even then.

Others will admit it for her, but she'll deflect and talk about how she couldn't do it with out Kelly Zerbe who does the choreography, Jess Rodriguez handling tech with Angie Carothers, Andrea Penske and youth theater alums Alex Webster and Jim Amero.

​They all wear many hats during the intensive five day camp.

Pulling off the camp is only a small part of the remarkableness.

There are so many in area high school musicals, performances at the Barrow-Civic and other community theaters that have benefitted from the experience of those who have come through the Summer Youth Theater Camp and other youth theater productions Heist et al have put together.

"To build up the theater you need to start young so they kind of learn the ropes," said Zerbe, the youth theater's choreographer for the last 18 years. "Here, they learn all the different aspects (of putting on a show.)

This is not only important for keeping youth theater going, but community theater as well. Youth shows fill seats. "We only had a bout 60 seats left last I checked," said Heise.

Filling seats keeps the lights on for even more shows.

"I think there have been more shows with children (in recent years), and I think it’s because we have this base here with the youth theater," Zerbe added.

And alums are getting major parts in other productions. Webster, who is helping out with this year's summer camp, also recently played the lead in Cinderella at the Barrow..

Both Heise and Zerbe know the importance of having kids grow up with the youth theater program. They engage the older kids to help the younger kids on things like stage presence and what is expected of them. This helps them build communication and teaching skills. "There are a lot of teachable moments," Zerbe explained. 

August 4,5 and 6, 2023
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Heise and Zerbe are also looking toward the future hoping some of the younger adults who got so much out of the program, like Webster and Amero, will eventually take the torch and carry it into the long-term future.

"Things in our lives are always changing," Heise said Tuesday as she was directing her 23rd season. "I couldn't do this without Kelly, really, it's the dance that makes the show."

She also praised the others who are always there making sure everything runs as smoothly as it can with over 80 kids from seven to 16 years of age, 30 of who are  first-timers.

They have been working hard since Sunday to memorize lines, choreography and blocking. They will perform "Off their Rockers," a tale of older folks connecting to their youth through the music of their time, a roughly hour-long show in front of a packed house Thursday at 7:30 p.m. 

Besides just the actors, young people will be in charge of the set, props, lighting and sound.