Photo by Paul Ruffolo
Prism Youth Theater Company
Prism Youth Theater Company is a local company founded by young Milwaukeeans that encourages participation in theater for everyone. This summer, the company is announcing a multi-week certification course that will teach activism and inclusivity in a community setting. Founded by Leo Madson and Melanie Morreau in 2020, the group hopes to find other young artists to collaborate with on this new project.
“As a working artist, I’ve heard many stories about the mistreatment or neglect of youth professionals, whom we call young performers. These tales are symptoms of an adult-centric view. We know that we are the leaders of tomorrow and assert that we don’t have to wait for sunrise to make a change,” says Madson. “Open AIR: Actively Igniting Resilience is our way of encouraging self-advocacy and educating about best practices for Milwaukee’s young performers.”
“OPEN AIR: Actively Igniting Resilience” will be a multi-week certification course that will teach community activism skills, anti-bullying strategies, self-advocation skills and more. Madson and Morreau are working to build the certification and are hoping for the solidification and start of the pilot runs for the class in November.
Stories and Support
“Young performers with professional, educational or community theater backgrounds are welcome to join the discussion and curation of this course. Parents and guardians of those interested are encouraged to offer stories and support. Adult professional and non-professional theater makers of all types can and should provide input on their experience,” says Madson. “This is a community game changer, and all are included.”
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There are several ways to contact Prism Theater Youth Company to get involved. “First and foremost, those interested can always contact me at Prism’s email or website,” says Madson. “Second, Open AIR is creating a meeting guide with links to virtual rooms, info for in-person events, and sign-ups galore. That will be available on all of our online platforms.”
For Prism Youth Theater Company, creating a safe, encouraging space for young people has been the top priority. “In the way we work, no adult-centered barriers or rule systems prohibit creativity. I want to see my peers take action to assert themselves in artistic spaces. I want to see widespread self-advocacy across Milwaukee’s young performers. I want to hear fewer stories of bullying and mistreatment,” says Madson. “The most rewarding aspect of working on Open AIR is seeing fire ignite in my peers when we talk about what we want to change. Whether it's about what compensation can look like, where we have encountered youth tokenism, or even just how we would run a rehearsal room, there’s always an eagerness to move forward. That spark is how things grow to become better.”
For more information, visit Prism Youth Theater Company’s website.
