Fort Wayne Youtheatre Reveals 89th Season Lineup

Fort Wayne Youtheatre has released the plans for their 89th Season of educating, engaging, and entertaining the youth and families of the Fort Wayne area. The fifth oldest operating children’s theatre in the United States, Youtheatre is expanding its reach by partnering with local organizations. 

The Season will kick off in September 2023 with a world premiere production of The House by Lindsay Price. Based on stories from authors such as Edgar Allan Poe, The House explores the secrets and spirits that lie within the walls of haunted houses. The production will run September 29-October 1, 2023 on the First Presbyterian Stage.

Just in time for the holiday season, Youtheatre will bring back the holiday classic: A Charlie Brown Christmas. Featuring the unforgettable music of Vince Guaraldi and the whole Peanuts gang, A Charlie Brown Christmas is just as heartwarming on stage as it was when it debuted on television over 50 years ago. Performances, featuring the Fort Wayne Children’s Choir, will run December 8-17, 2023 on the First Presbyterian Theater Stage.

In March of 2024, Youtheatre will collaborate with First Presbyterian Theater and the Positive Resource Connection on an area premiere of the hit Broadway musical, The Prom. When four eccentric Broadway stars hear that trouble is brewing around a small-town prom, they join forces with a courageous girl and the town’s citizens to transform lives. The co-production will run for three weekends (March 1 – 17, 2024) on the First Presbyterian Theater Stage.

To celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the Linda L. Ruffolo Young Heroes of Conscience Series, Youtheatre will revisit the story of Ruby Bridges. She was born in 1954, the same year Brown v. Board of Education ordered schools to integrate with “all deliberate speed.” In the face of adversity, she shows unbeatable courage and helps lead the Civil Rights Movement into America’s classrooms. A partnership with the Boys and Girls Club of Fort Wayne, Ruby Bridges will perform at the First Presbyterian Theatre April 19-21, 2024.

To round out the end of the season, Youtheatre will launch a new project in collaboration with the Allen County Public Library - Stories from the Stacks: Theatre for Young Readers. Aimed at Pre-K through 3rd graders, P.D. Eastman’s classic children’s book Go, Dog. Go! will be brought to life in a musical world of doggy fun. In partnership with Humane Fort Wayne, performances will be at the Allen County Public Library Main Branch theater April 25-28, 2024. All performances of Go, Dog. Go! are free to the community.

“Youtheatre is pleased to share this imaginative and inclusive season with the Fort Wayne community.” says Executive/Artistic Director Todd Espeland. “We are especially proud of our new collaboration with the Allen County Public Library. Through collaborations such as these, we can tell more stories and reach more families.”

Tickets on sale July 1, 2023. To purchase tickets visit tickets.artstix.org or call the Box Office at 260-422-4226. Box office hours are from 12:00pm to 6:00pm Monday through Friday.

For more information on each of the shows, classes, and camps, please visit www.fortwayneyoutheatre.org.

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