It’s Showtime at the Vandalia Youth Theater

By Tim Smith

Once upon a time, a community fixture was known as summer theatre (often referred to as Summer Stock). Many of us can recall participating in these local theatre productions because it was the thing to do, especially if you lived in a small town. The Vandalia Youth Theatre keeps the tradition alive by using a serious but fun approach, with productions open to kids from Pre-K through high school. 

This is the 30th season of the program. According to Casey Webster, the organization's Marketing and Communications Coordinator, it had humble yet practical beginnings. “It was started by a couple of moms whose kids were into theater, but there wasn’t a place for them to go and do it,” she said in a recent interview. “They started the theater as a nonprofit, in different locations, basically wherever they could find free space, like church basements. They got a location to start an actual studio two years ago.” That studio is located at 698 W. National Road in Vandalia.

They now do four full-length productions annually and sponsor winter workshops that help students prepare for singing and dancing auditions. This non-profit organization is run completely by volunteers, but overseen by a Board of Directors who decide which shows will be produced each year. “They get together monthly to talk about the purpose and choose what the shows are going to be, usually nine months in advance,” Webster said. “They contract with a director to get feedback on what shows they think will be good, but ultimately, it’s up to the Board of Directors.”

This season’s offerings include the musicals “Rock of Ages: Youth Edition” (for grades 3-5, July 11-14), “Newsies” (grades 6-8, July 11-14), and Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast” (grades 9-12, July 18-21). The productions will be presented at Northmont High School, 4916 W. National Road, Clayton. 

“We will hire a creative staff for each show, such as a director, dance choreographer, and vocal instructor,” Webster said. “The director decides what the set will look like, and volunteers will build it. The production will have older kids backstage along with volunteers to help the younger kids. We may run our own sound system, but sometimes we hire sound people. Since we’re nonprofit, we need to stay within our budget.”

Funding comes in a variety of forms, from full-season sponsorship at various monetary levels to individual show sponsorship, playbill ads, and corporate donations. Although there is a nominal fee for kids to participate, the organization offers tuition assistance to those who need it. “For anybody unable to pay the tuition, which is relatively low, we offer scholarships for a portion, or possibly the whole thing, depending on the situation. We don’t want their inability to pay the tuition to keep them from participating. Tuition is for the actual program, and that’s how we pay for the costumes, lights, playbills, venues, etc. It’s a piece of our funding.”

One of the hallmarks of The Vandalia Youth Theatre is inclusivity, along with a welcoming environment where kids can find empathy and a sense of belonging, while gaining confidence. As their website states, “All Youth who audition will be cast in a show! All youth are given the opportunity to find their voice on stage.”

“We’ll put up a post on Facebook and our website for audition sign-ups, usually around March or April for the summer program,” Webster said. “We’ll figure out how many people we can have for that production, and it’s really important to sign up for one of those spots. You will be cast in a part on stage as long as you get an audition spot. It allows everyone to try it and see if they like it. Often, if you want a specific role, the director will say, ‘Here’s a song you have to sing.’ Mostly when they show up, they can bring their own music. Our directors will work with the kids during their audition. They might do ‘Repeat after me,’ speaking lines they might recite in the play. They may teach them a short dance and have them try it, or teach them a song and have them repeat it. It really depends on the director.”

In addition to being part of a fun activity, participants are encouraged to think outside the box and expand their imaginations, while learning the importance of teamwork, respect for others, and individual effort.

“It’s about being able to help these students build their confidence and find that group of other youth they can feel included with and similar to, from preschool to high school seniors,” Webster said. “Attendance is very important to us because we have a very short time span to get ready. We really push attendance, show up on time, listen, follow instructions, and be part of an inclusive environment. These are important things we’re helping to create with the next generation. These kids are going to enter the workforce in our local area and these skills are going to help them take on problems and help them be successful.”

For more information about the Vandalia Youth Theatre, including upcoming shows, tickets, and sponsorship opportunities, call 937.918.6041, or visit www.vandaliayouththeatre.net. You can also follow them on Facebook.