On the heels of receiving the Comox Valley Local Heroes “Arts Advocate Award,” Rainbow Youth Theatre has taken its volunteer-based organization from potentially closing two years ago to being so successful it had to turn kids away for its 2016 summer show Snow White.
“That sort of success actually makes us sad. The RYT board wants all interested kids to experience the magic of theatre, so we had to come up with another plan,” said Karae White, president of Rainbow Youth Theatre.
Its summer show audition saw 65 children come out and audition for only 35 roles. To accommodate everyone who wants to experience musical theatre this summer, RYT board members created the RYT Summer Showcase.
Each week in July, participants aged six through 14 will have a fun opportunity to sing, dance, act, and acquire improvisational skills. At the end of each week, they will deliver a musical theatre performance for parents to watch. Sessions will be offered in the mornings at Mark Isfeld Secondary.
“Because we are non-profit, we can offer the classes very inexpensively, creating an affordable option for all those other kids,” said White. “We also want to try a different format where kids can try one class for one week at a time, instead of making the usual four-week commitment.”
For more information on dates, times, and how to register, visit rainbowtheatre.com or email karae@rainbowtheatre.com