I began acting in YMTC when I was 14 years old. Being a part of such a strong community that allowed me to express myself creatively while working with others to create something positive (a show!) completely changed my life. I had been acting since I was five years old, however, YMTC really gave me my sea legs as a performer. Jennifer always emphasizes the positive, while still expecting a high level from the youth performers. She thereby makes those participating feel confident in their skills and also raises the bar, helping the performers grow together. I believe that people, especially youth, will rise to the bar that is set for them. In public schools often expectations are set low. Having a chance to be challenged in high school, and to feel like what I loved to do (theatre) was important, changed my life. I am now 22 years old. I just graduated from Boston University with B.F.A in Theatre Arts-Performance. I recently moved back to the Bay Area. I just finished an internship with Berkeley Rep and I am about to be in a dance theatre piece that will be at the San Francisco Fringe festival. I feel lucky to be making theatre in the world! Who knows what this next year will bring, but I feel confident that I have the tools to meet whatever challenges come, and I know that I have the passion and belief in theatre to continue performing. I believe that this all started in a large part with YMTC. During one summer break while I was in school, Jennifer let me be a directing intern for Les Miserables, as well as co-teach some YMTC youth summer workshops. I believe that this inviting of alumni back into the community to be teachers and inspire youth in the way that we were inspired, is yet another amazing and valuable thing that YMTC does. YMTC is incredibly important, now more than ever, because it teaches children that art is fun, vital, and powerful. YMTC teaches positive communication, collaboration, listening, and of course practical techniques of acting, singing, and dancing. But most of all, YMTC gives young performers confidence and an outlet for creative fun, and for that I, and many others I know, will be forever grateful.
I love YMTC. You most likely would stop at the word Youth (in Youth Musical Theatre Company) & probably think it's like an unprofessional & cheap performance and wouldn't care much. Well, if you think that, you would be 100% WRONG. 'Wrong' as in, NOT correct.
Just by seeing the first few minutes of a production they put on, or even the vibe you get from the audience who have seen YMTC performances previously, you can see that so much effort, time, & production is put into the making of the show. Doubt it, just come see a future production. I hear they are doing Sweeney Todd & Urinetown soon! Can't wait!
When it comes to YMTC, I have mixed feelings- as do most of the people I've talked to. Theater as a whole always has three sides to consider: The audience, the stage, and everything outside of those two worlds that consists of management, advertising, etc. I have had the luck to be part of all three of these worlds at one point or another in varying capacities ranging from actor to production team. People have commented that YMTC shows are filled with the underserving children of wealthy parents. Yes, many of the students who perform with YMTC were lucky enough to be born into providence, but not all of them, and the strong majority are most certainly deserving of their parts in the production. One person who posted previously said that kids leave YMTC with a sense of entitlement, and that roles can be bought- this is a grossly erroneous claim. Many of the actors that I have worked with have proven time and time again through timeliness, proper decorum, and an ability to receive feedback, that they fully understand what is expected of them as actors. The one person I do know who was part of the YMTC community and had a gross sense of entitlement, had this sense long before entering the community, and after graduating has yet maintain high standing with any group they work with. The process the actors are put through, while extremely condensed and not as well organized, bears a striking resemblance to the processes of professional and college companies I have also worked with. The product, which is more often than not slightly substandard, is one community theater, and should not be judged so harshly as one might judge a regional or commercial theater production. Ticket prices I cannot defend. However the things I learned by watching people work and getting involved myself during the rehearsal and technical processes has been invaluable to me and many others over the years, and I have YMTC to thank for that.
I was in the previous YMTC show RAGTIME! AND I LOVED the opportunity to be in a professional theater production! While being cast as the lead of this show in the role of "Coalhouse Walker Jr." I got to see the show from so many perspectives. One, being that i a former foster child got to play the lead, even though i had never done a musical, that was big for me personally. Two, i noticed that there wasn't a lot of diversity in the cast, I'm not sure how to view that, however, regardless of that the people in the cast are amazing and talent is not even a question when it comes to there shows and productions, i even stayed at one of the cast members house while the production was in play because i had become homeless at the time. Three, i feel as though YMTC has a lot to offer and deserves to be noticed by many, but they should think about how they run the organization, i'll just say that. In closing, overall YMTC is an amazing theater company in which i learned so much from and grew as an artist and a person. YMTC is sadly not apart of my life anymore but i thank them for everything that they have done for me. ~Dawon Davis
YMTC produces three astonishing musicals every year. They audition kids from middle school through high school and then, over just a few weeks, blend those kids into an almost-professional troupe of actors, dancers, and singers. Every show is amazing. The director, choreographer, and costume designers put together shows that are a pleasure to behold. I have seen "Fiddler," "Jesus Christ Superstar," and most recently, "West Side Story" during the past few months. YMTC is a Community Treasure and should be regarded as such. We are unbelievably lucky to have them right here in our very own East Bay community. Long May They Perform!
YMTC has been inspiring me for many years, since long before I became a part of the company. I have seen or been involved with every show since 2008. Every performance is practically perfect in caliber and, what's more, the actors bring a freshness and an emotion to their characters that I have rarely experienced even in many Broadway shows. I have left the theater after every YMTC show I have seen filled with many emotions, a huge deal of inspiration, and a sense of wonder at how a group of teenagers and younger can be counted on to produce such a work of art. I have also performed in many shows with YMTC, and each one of them was a life-altering experience for myself and my peers. Although I could not afford to pay full tuition for these shows, I was never denied the same opportunity to perform that was granted to the actors paying full tuition. I know I am not alone in saying that YMTC has monumentally changed my life for the better.
I have thought long and hard about whether to write a review for YMTC, obviously, I have decided that a review is worthy of my time. I am not a parent, relative, actor, or professional judging this company, I am a teenager who has done backstage work for YMTC going on three years now. At first, looking at all the glowing reviews from parents - I was a bit aggravated, YMTC is not perfect, there are many flaws in this program, and people suggesting that it's life changing and so incredible and professional - while valid, doesn't exactly ring completely true. However, I do not agree with the people on here saying that YMTC is a complete and utter waste, and should not be supported, yes, YMTC has its flaws, it isn't perfect, no company is, but to say that because they flooded your inbox they're a bad Youth Theatre company? I don't think so. For me, YMTC has been a good, if not great way to gain experience. Yes, many of the kids who study with YMTC have money, and yes the tuition is a lot, but whoever said that it's for rich kids must not have heard about Ragtime - over half the students were on tuition assistance. As for the quality of the YMTC shows, it's community theatre, not broadway. It isn't going to be as perfect or as polished. I personally have seen some incredible YMTC shows, Ragtime being among them. Now YMTC does have it's problems - communication being one of them. I have continually felt that I was given far too much responsibility and not enough credit for nearly every show I've worked on with YMTC. I have worked incredibly hard, only to be demoted time and time again. Now this is partly my fault - but I also feel that the people in charge of YMTC have so much on their plate that sometimes they let everything else slide. Still, I have gotten great experience working backstage on YMTC shows, and I am proud of the caliber of the productions i have worked on and helped to produce. Is YMTC perfect? No, absolutely not, but it's growing and changing, and to sell it short and not give it and the people who run it the benefit of the doubt would be a complete and utter travesty.
YMTC's West Side Story was spectacular! The dancing, the singing, the acting! It was better than the movie--which was fantastic--because it was a huge cast of young people who had so much talent, the audience was entranced! What a treat! I could have come back and seen them again the next night, but they were sold out!
I've been thrilled to be a part of three YMTC shows (and plan on being in many many more). Never before in any aspect of my life have I been treated with as much respect as a professional despite my 15 years of age. Beyond this, I now have three distinct new families to rely on and grow with. Being in a YMTC show provides a perfect blend of meeting new people and quickly falling in love with them and a very real and very professional theater experience. Jennifer Boesing is, hands down, a genius in her unique interpretation and execution of all shows obsqure and well-loved; she provides Broadway quality musical theater with a fraction of a Broadway budget by inspiring and relying on the kids in her shows instead of doubting their ability on the basis of their age. It has been an absolute blessing to be a part of the YMTC community these past few years, and I am certain that the geniuses now running the company will continue to astonish bay area natives and kids alike as they work to create masterful theater.
There should be a sixth star choice for YMTC! My wife and I have been to almost every show for the last five years. They just keep getting better and better. Everyone from the Director to the youngest and newest actor gives 110% at every show. With the new sound crew, sound being the bain of proformances, even sound is almost perfect. You NEED to see these shows. West Side Story just completed had 45 actors, actresses and a 31 piece orchestra. The best production ever!
I began seeing YMTC shows because of a wonderful young man I new who was performing in them. I had no idea when I saw his first show that I was going to be attending the 'Theater'. It is easy to forget that the show is primarily young people. The talent, sets, direction, music, house management is all exceptional. This company is committed to offering scholarships to young people who would otherwise not be able to be involved... i could go on and on. This company is a gift to our community and I am proud to support them and recommend that you check out one of their shows- you are sure to be moved!
My husband and I have been to three performances by YMTC, and they have been outstanding. These young people work hard and perform as if they were on Broadway. One of the many aspects of this organization that impresses us is the 'taking on' of challenging material. We are happy to pay admission and are also donors. We are looking forward to seeing many more YMTC shows.
YMTC is afaabulous group of zvery talented young people who perform with professional polish and technique. Congratulations to Jennifer who inspires these young people to perform as young professionals.
My child has been in two YMTC productions, one as a cast member and one as part of the production staff. Each production was its own new community; the way in which that community developed over the many weeks from audition to closing night was a lesson for me, and I hope for the kids, in how hard work and a shared goal can create a spectacular result. Speaking of which, this is not your average "kids, let's put on a show" youth theater company: the quality is outstanding. We went to the most recent production even though our child wasn't involved, and if that's not an endorsement, I don't know what is!
My first experience with YMTC was "Jesus Christ Superstar" which was awesome and amazing. We just recently saw "West Side Story" which was also fabulous. The young adults were incredible performers, the sets were beautiful and fun, and the experience was delightful. We will not miss another show!
At age 73 and lover of musicals, you can imagine how many West Side Stories I've seen, (I was even in one!) but this one presented by Youth Musical theater ranks a 5 star chills-down-the-spine winner. There are no 'kids' here, but rather incredible believable talented All-Stars. It''s a great show directed by Jennifer Boesing - we were teary, we were elated and thrilled, I vote 5 stars! Annie Hershey, El Sobrante, CA.
Our son was a YMTC member for the final years of high school. All of his and our interactions with the organization - teachers, administration and volunteers - were thoroughly positive. He came with some experience in acting, but singing and dancing were new to him. With the help of the YMTC directors he grew tremendously through his experience. if it had not been for the generous scholarship program, he would not have been able to participate. YMTC passes on a valuable sense of community, respect for the individual and the collective art of theater that we wholeheartedly support and commend.
I love everything about the good work of YMTC. I think they put on stellar musical productions and that they are a major part of the education and training for many young musicians in this part of California. They deserve all the accolades that a grateful community has given it over the last decade. Thank you Huffington for recognizing the achievements of Jennifer Boesing, Dave Moeshler & others in guiding Berkeley's Youth Musical Theater Company.
