Just as athletes continuously exercise their muscles to stay in shape, artists need to do the same to keep their skills sharp. Flint Youth Theatre’s August performances of The Hobbit helped keep young actors engaged over the summer, with experience levels ranging from beginner to seasoned performer.

“Summer is the perfect time to step outside of one’s comfort zone, experiment creatively and bring those discoveries back into the new school year,” said FYT artistic director Samuel Richardson.

The Hobbit was unique in that it provided students the opportunity to collaborate not just as actors, but also as theatre-makers, he explained.

“Many of our students were involved in scenic construction, prop design and backstage technical support. Performing outdoors added another layer of challenge and opportunity where students had to adapt to an open-air environment, learning how to project their voices, stay present despite distractions and use the natural setting to enhance the story,” he said.

The play also called for numerous creatures, settings and magical elements that encouraged students to creatively problem-solve.

“All of this gave them the chance to see that theatre is much bigger than just performance, it’s about teamwork and artistry across every discipline,” said Richardson.
The culminating performances were a huge success.

“I continue to be amazed by FYT’s young actors. With the guidance of director Samuel Richardson, they didn’t just learn and perform a script—they designed, painted, built and created. Each production is better than the last,” said Davin Pierson Torre, director of the Flint School of Performing Arts.

“Each show was an opportunity for the students to grow in confidence and collaboration, and you could see their skills sharpening from the first performance to the last,” Richardson added.

“The community that formed around the production between the cast, crew and audience was one of the strongest outcomes,” he said.

Now that summer is over and the new school year is in action, there’s a lot of great programming to look forward to at FYT, including staged readings of Puffs, or Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic by Matt Cox and Jackie and Me by Steven Dietz, followed by a full production of The Wind in the Willows by Moses Goldberg.

The troupe also performed a moving rendition of She Kills Monsters: Young Adventurers Edition by Qui Nguyen in September.

Torre explained that while FYT full productions are selected with broad family appeal in mind, the staged readings give students the opportunity to get into more serious topics. She cited last year’s staged reading of Bulletproof Backpack as a way for students to learn about expressing heavy emotions in their craft.
Whether it’s a summer show or one during the school year, all FYT performance opportunities are about nurturing confident, thoughtful individuals who understand the value of working together toward something larger than themselves, said Richardson.

“I’m proud of the students’ resilience and creativity, and the summer show was a reminder of how powerful theatre can be in bringing people together and giving students a voice.”

Don’t miss Flint Youth Theatre’s next full-length production in MacArthur Recital Hall on Dec. 6 and 7. Tickets for The Wind in the Willows are available through the link below.