Register Now For MediaRites & Oregon Children's Theatre's The —Ism Youth Files

Oregon Children's Theatre (OCT), in partnership with MediaRites Production, has announced The -Ism Youth Files, a youth project focusing on writings and interviews with youth ages 12-21 about mental health. These interviews were then used to create a collection of monologues, personal essays, poetry and short graphic novelettes. MediaRites is also producing four 30-minute podcasts of youth stories, interviews and  performances.

"I heard from friends about the devastating effects the pandemic was having on their children," explained Dmae Lo Roberts, Executive Producer of MediaRites. "We had previously produced a book of writings  from youth about their experiences with mental health, so the board and I thought it was time to create an e-book and podcast about this topic through a national  submissions process."

Though a majority of the BIPOC and youth with disabilities are from  Portland, 20  writers were selected not only from the Northwest but from Indiana,  Minnesota,  Massachusetts, Connecticut and one selection from Kolkata,  India. Each writer received an honorarium payment. "The -Ism Youth Files has turned into a mentorship project," Roberts stated. "We plan to be in touch with the writers until next year and will be looking out for further opportunities for their creativity. I'm so proud of our producing team and grateful for Oregon Children's Theatre's collaboration with us. Our  hope is to create more awareness for youth mental health and to break the taboo of silence that still exists."

Dmae Lo Roberts is a two-time Peabody award-winning documentary producer, filmmaker and writer and the executive producer of MediaRites. Samson Syharath, a Portland theater artist, playwright is the associate producer, Amanda Vander Hyde is production manager. Also working on the project are Clark Salisbury, podcast engineer and Sandra de Helen, co-editor. Eleanor Gil-Kashiwabara of  Luminosa Psychological Services serves as the project's mental health consultant.

In support of the project, Oregon Children's Theatre's Education Programs Coordinator Nick Condon is collaborating on a youth mental health toolkit, which will be distributed to families, schools and organizations. Blake Wales, OCT's Education Director, is co-producing a free, live event in Portland's Curious Comedy Theatre on August 27, 2022. This production will feature live readings and pre-recorded videos from our youth artists from around the world, followed by a BIPOC panel of mental health experts in Portland to hear about resources and actions you can take for youth mental health. Masks will be required at the event; a livestream of the event will also be available. Those interested in attending the event can learn more and register for the event online.

The -Ism Youth Files is supported by the Regional Arts & Culture Council, the Oregon Community Foundation, the Miller Foundation, the Oregon Arts Commission, the Collins Foundation, Oregon Humanities, and WESTAF. Learn more about MediaRites at mediarites.org.

About Oregon Children's Theatre 

Founded in 1988, Oregon Children's Theatre (OCT) has served well over two million children, teachers, and families.  Its mission is to create exceptional theater experiences that transform lives. OCT is Oregon's largest non-profit professional theater for young audiences and a resident company of Portland'5 Centers for the Arts.  Performances are held weekdays for school audiences and on weekends for family audiences. OCT serves more than 120,000 children of all ages each year.  OCT offers numerous school services including study guides, teacher professional development opportunities, in-school workshops, and an extensive outreach program.  In partnership with Kaiser Permanente, the Educational Theatre Program provides free touring productions that promote healthy living. OCT's year-round Acting Academy offers theater classes for children ages 3-18 and Young Professionals Company, a mentoring program for teens. 

Funding for Oregon Children's Theatre's 2022-2023 season is provided in part by the Shubert Foundation, the Regional Arts & Culture Council, the James F. & Marion L. Miller Foundation, and the Oregon Arts Commission. 

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