Young People's Theatre turns a youthful 50 years old
Celebrating anniversary with gala event
The Young People's Theatre has found the secret to youth.
The theatre company is turning 50 years old this year, but still manages to attract youthful talent and audiences. It has won 44 Dora Awards, 13 Chalmers Awards for playwriting and more than five million young people have seen YPT's productions.
Allan MacInnis, YTP's artistic director, said the key is not to be "talky-downy" to children.
"Kids are smarter than you think they are," he said. Teens, especially, are very thoughtful and think deeply about the world around them, he adds.
He said children also don't respond to entertainment that's too simplistic. El Numero Uno, for instance, was successful because it was more complex. A Caribbean play YPT mounted in 2009, the dialogue included three different styles of patois.
"Kids had to work to understand it," MacInnis said. "But they liked doing that. They liked to be challenged."
The 50th anniversary gala will take place at Arcadian Court on Thursday. Details of the event are on the Young People's Theatre website.