Theater Development Program For Young People Launched by Camp Bob Waldorf And In Other People's Shoes Productions

In Other People's Shoes Productions and Camp Bob Waldorf today announced an innovative partnership to provide young people a rare opportunity to participate in theater dramaturgy sessions with professional actors and a master playwright. Thanks to this groundbreaking program, underserved youth from across Los Angeles will provide valuable insight into the process of a play's creation.

Campers will provide feedback to a reading of a play in development that is geared for a young audience, and then participate in sessions to give further input and dive deeper into the play's themes. The program gives campers a taste of what it takes to create a play, and for the creative team to learn what parts of the play resonate with their target audience. The partnership will host a pilot program this July during one of the camp's regular summer sessions.

The pilot program with the campers will introduce Pia's Wondrous Adventures in Tlaxlandia, by renowned playwright José Cruz González, to an audience for the first time. This is the next step in the development process of his play, which was the recipient of the inaugural ReImagine: New Plays in TYA grant program. He was recently named one of the Kennedy Center's Next 50 -- leaders who are lighting the way forward through art and action.

"I'm excited to get feedback from the campers," said González. "Children are the most honest audiences and make great dramaturgs. I look forward to learning from them, and to their responses to the themes and characters in the story, which grew out of the pandemic. I'm also happy to continue working with In Other People's Shoes, and to support their mission to tell stories of our many culturally rich and diverse communities."

"Camp Bob Waldorf creates positive experiences kids will look back on for the rest of their lives," Camp Director Simon Hansen said. "My staff and our caring counselors instill the four pillars of Respect, Community, Identity and Inclusion at Camp Bob Waldorf and we all work hard through our programming to ensure every camper takes them into their lives. The opportunity for our campers to participate in a program like this, with such a talented and creative group of people, is incredible. The values of Camp and In Other People's Shoes perfectly align."

"The goal of our company is to use theatre and other forms of storytelling as a way to show all children that they matter," said In Other People's Shoes founder Mireya Hepner. "We want children who don't often see themselves represented on stage to see and celebrate their own cultures, and to learn about people who are different than they are. We're so excited to be partnering with the wonderful team at Camp Bob Waldorf, who bring young people together from all parts of the city, and to share José's beautiful piece, which speaks to what so many young people have been experiencing over the past two years. Their feedback and input will be invaluable in its continuing development".

About Camp Bob Waldorf:

Owned and operated by Jewish Big Brother Big Sisters of Los Angeles and inspired by Jewish values to help others, Camp Bob Waldorf is a non-denominational overnight camp located on 112 acres in the Verdugo Mountains of Glendale. Since 1938, the camp has helped more than 60,000 underserved children, offering youth development activities for children as young as nine and providing services to them through the age of 17 and beyond. All CBW campers have access to JBBBSLA's other programs - including the Teen Talk App providing social and emotional support to teens; the College Access + Success Program offering one-to-one college counseling and scholarships to attend college and more. Learn more about these programs at jbbbsla.org

About In Other People's Shoes Productions:

Founded during the pandemic, this non-profit theatre company tells imaginative, impactful and artistic stories for young people and families from all walks of life. The Southern California-based board of directors of In Other People's Shoes is a group of accomplished and passionate creative people who are committed to diversity and inclusion, to paying artists and staff a living wage, and to democratic nonprofit governance that prioritizes artists' voices. The work that In Other People's Shoes creates, produces, and shares champions today's young people by highlighting stories that are specifically for them, while encouraging authentic voices, empathy and open-mindedness. Learn more about In Other People's Shoes at www.inotherpeoplesshoes.org

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