Jersey City Theater Center Presents Free Youth Theatre Classes For Teens

The Jersey City Theater Center (JCTC), in partnership with the Jersey City Free Public Library and the Jersey City Department of Recreation, has announced a free theatre program for teens aged 13-18. This exciting opportunity will take place at the Earl A. Morgan Branch of the Jersey City Free Public Library and will be led by Ashley Nicole Baptiste, Associate Artistic Director of JCTC and a professional actress.

The program will offer teens a transformative journey into devised theater, allowing them to engage in collaborative storytelling, improvisation, and the creation of original, thought-provoking performances. Participants will explore various theatrical techniques to express themselves creatively and confidently.

Program Details:

Dates: May 22, 24, 29, 31; June 5, 7, 12, 14, 26; July 1 (Sharing Day on July 1)

Times: 3:45 PM - 5:45 PM

Location: Earl A. Morgan Branch of Jersey City Free Public Library, 1841 John F. Kennedy Blvd, Jersey City, NJ

Contact: (201) 547-4553 / www.JCTCenter.org

Registration Required

Olga Levina, Executive Director of Jersey City Theater Center, expressed her enthusiasm for the program, stating, "At JCTC, we believe in the power of the arts to transform lives. This program is a wonderful opportunity for teens to discover their voices and tell their unique stories. We are proud to partner with the Jersey City Free Public Library and the Department of Recreation to offer this free program that fosters creativity, collaboration, and community."

This initiative underscores JCTC's commitment to making the arts accessible to all and nurturing the next generation of performers and creators. The theater classes are designed to be inclusive and supportive, encouraging participants of all backgrounds to join and explore the world of theater.

"I am honored and very excited to work with all of the young artists attending the program,” stated Ashley Nicole Baptiste, JCTC Associate Artistic Director. “It brings me joy to be a part of a young person's journey in finding out who their authentic selves are through their experience in theater. Let me be clear,  I am not here to make students the next ‘Broadway' actor or ‘movie star', I am here to help them express themselves with confidence and authenticity. I hope you decide to join us on this journey. We are going to have fun!"

For more information and to register, please contact the Earl A. Morgan Branch at (201) 547-4553 or visit the Jersey City Theater Center website.

About the Ashley Nicole Baptiste

Ashley Nicole Baptiste is a multidisciplinary professional artist whose work as an actor, Associate Artistic Director,  educator, and producer has been showcased and developed in many different places. She hails from the sunny lands of San Diego, California, and has recently been working and living in the NY/NJ area.  

As the Associate Artistic Director of Jersey City Theater Center, she has produced new works as well as created her online podcast called, Black Space. Black Space is an online digital archive created with interviews featuring Black artists from all over the world. Ashley is one of the proud creators of the Youth Theater Program called SPOTLIGHT, developed with JCTC and TheSpotJC. She has worked with New Jersey City University, Colby College, and New Jersey Performing Arts Center where these organizations have also aided in honing her skills as an educator and refined her ability to motivate and empower her students to reach their fullest potential. 

Professional Acting Theatre credits include; Still, Premiere Stages; Cadillac Crew, Vermont Stage;  Chicken & Biscuits, Bristol Riverside Theatre; Chicken & Biscuits, Crossroads Theatre Company; Mud Row, Premiere Stages; When Day Comes, Crossroads Theatre Company; Seven Guitars, Artists Repertory Theater; Jitney, Portland Playhouse; How We Got On, Portland Playhouse; In The Next Room, or the Vibrator Play, Profile Theater; Seven Guitars, Artists Repertory Theater; Jitney, Portland Playhouse; Hands Up, Red Door Projects. Television: Grimm, NBC, Notes From The Field, HBO, and New Amsterdam, NBC. Educational credits: California State University Fullerton, BFA Acting.  Rutgers University, Mason Gross School of the Arts, MFA Acting. 

About Jersey City Theater Center

Jersey City Theater Center (JCTC) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) arts organization committed to inspiring conversations about important issues of our times through the arts. Co-founded by Executive Producer Olga Levina, an immigrant from Belarus, Jersey City Theater Center (JCTC) produces and presents universal yet locally relevant works, emphasizing social justice and human rights.  Since 2006, JCTC has provided a platform for all artistic voices to be heard in Jersey City, with the aim of sparking meaningful cross-cultural dialogue that helps build a greater understanding, mutual respect and better communities in New Jersey. 

Programming made possible by numerous supporters, including the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts, the Hudson County Office of Cultural & Heritage Affairs/Tourism Development, Hudson County, the City of Jersey City, and the Office of Cultural Affairs. For those who are interested in attending any of the performances, sponsoring any of the upcoming productions, or purchasing tickets for large groups, please email info@jctcenter.org.

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