Stage Raw and The Unusual Suspects Theatre Company Launch Youth Journalism Fellowship Partnership

Stage Raw and The Unusual Suspects Theatre Company have announced an expansion of their partnership to launch the Youth Journalism Fellowship, offering free professional mentorship to prospective writers (15-25 YO) with a focus on theatre coverage and critique. The three-month program will enroll up to 10 fellows per year, and a selection of writers from each cohort will be featured on future editions of DEVISE, the youth-focused theatre magazine launched through the partnership earlier this year. 

Through the Youth Journalism Fellowship, young writers interested in exploring their journalistic voices will receive guidance from Stage Raw’s pool of professional journalists and collaboratively produce publishable reviews, essays, and interviews, all adhering to traditional journalistic ethics, rigor, studiousness, and cogent analysis. After each collaborative piece between the mentor and mentee, the mentee’s articles and reviews are posted on Stage Raw. Both mentors and mentees will be financially compensated for this work.

Other partners of this program have included philanthropist Z. Clark Branson and the Wallis-Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts. 

“After the success of our recently published magazine, DEVISE, The Unusual Suspects Theatre Company is thrilled to expand its partnership with Stage Raw to present a program that further elevates the voices of Los Angeles' youth. We're excited about the future of our partnership and look forward to welcoming our first cohort.,” said Abiram Brizuela, Executive Director of The Unusual Suspects.                                                                                                                            

Adds Stage Raw’s Founding Editor, Steven Leigh Morris, “This program redresses both the lack of young arts journalists in the field, as well as the lack of young audiences. It’s unreasonable to expect a garden to flourish without taking the effort to nurture it.”  

Applications will be accepted starting on January 20, 2024, each applicant must submit a writing sample along with their application. Selected candidates for the Spring season will be officially announced mid-February and begin March 2024. Writers will meet once a month at The Unusual Suspects’ offices in Pasadena. Interested applicants should have a general interest in theatre and be committed to the full duration of the program. For questions contact, Steven Leigh Morris at steven@stageraw.com.

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