It’s a brand new pilot program that aims to give LGBTQ teens age 13 to 20 a free, safe and creative space to learn, write and grow. The deadline for applications to participate in Third Street Theatre’s YOUthRiot playwriting workshop has been extended to February 15th – so let the teens in your life know.
At the time of interview, Program Director Alyssa Bradac said the workshop had accepted six applicants, but has room for a good 20, and doesn’t want to turn anyone away.
"This is a safe place to come out and create with no boundaries," Bradac says. This means if you’re not yet out to your family, have no funds for transportation or snacks, the program will help you out in any way it can. "I’m not even aiming for drama kids specifically – I want to get kids who don’t have that sort of inclusive group to go to, that don’t have that support system in place."
Third Street wrote into Canada Council seeking a $10,000 grant for this program, "and they gave us $8000, so we’re going to take it for a spin," she states. The group is launching a crowdsourcing campaign to fund the remainder, sometime next week, in conjunction with the program’s start date: February 19th.
Applications are downloadable on the Third Street webpage and only involve filling out a form with basic contact information as well as a 500-word statement of intent, outlining why the applicant wants to participate in the program.
"My original intent was to not turn anybody away, and that is still sort of my M.O. on this," Bradac says, though in terms of infrastructure, 20 participants would be ideal.
The program wraps up with a performance at the Big Secret Theatre on May 13th, what Bradac dubs "a culminating creation festival", which will be free for teens to attend and ticketed for adults ($10-$15).
"[YOUth Riot is] free. It’s not any cost at all to the participants," Bradac wants to make clear, which will be important to teens without their own income and who might not feel able to ask parents to fund a program geared at LGBTQ youth.
The program is workshop based, and will feature "excellent artists in town", including Ellen Close, Jenna Rogers, Pam Walker, and likely Blake Brooker.
Bradac says these speakers will "hopefully give these kids skills and a different profile for when they go through high school and when they are going to college."
Third Street has advertised YOUthRiot through the Calgary Sexual Health Centre, school GSAs, and with YouthLink Calgary, where all the meetings will take place.
Bradac knows that their target applicant age group can be a difficult one to get committed.
"That sort of double edged sword as to why there isn’t more teen programming," she says. But she is confident that with community investment, word of mouth and the ability to attach a human face to the project once it begins, it will be a success. She is comfortable with starting out with lower number this first year, to see how the program needs to be shaped going forward.
