When you have a group of young people starving for the stage, it’s not that hard to rope them into an extra performance.
At least, that’s what Lompoc Youth Theater (LYT) Producer and Director Sarah Raines figured after she auditioned a group of youngsters to join the summer program, which is set to perform a musical in July and August.
The production needs some financial support, so the fresh batch of aspiring performers will present a benefit concert on June 2. The concert will feature the kids, but also include some performances by Raines and her colleague with the theater.
“This show has no particular theme other than trying to showcase some of that talent that’s going to be performing with Lompoc Youth Theater,” Raines explained. “So, of course there’s me, who I’m directing, and Christa Simpson, who’s music directing, but there will also be some of our cast.”
The concert is titled Our Shining LYT, and is meant to also give locals a preview of what to expect at the show later this summer.
Raines is known on the Central Coast as a classical singer with her own concert series in Lompoc. She’s performed with regional opera companies like Opera SLO and Opera Santa Barbara, so she knows her stuff. She took over the Lompoc Youth Theater after founder Joyce Mayhew relocated recently, Raines said.
Already, Raines explained, the program has found a group of talented kids ready to perform. There will be a number of solo performances of songs from musical theater, she said, including a song from another youth musical, Willy Wonka, and even some more mature works.
“[One student will sing] a song from Hamilton actually, which I’m pretty excited about,” she said. “That’s challenging music for a young person.”
The LYT’s production this year is of Schoolhouse Rock LIVE! Jr., based off the popular educational cartoons of the 1970s.
For the benefit concert, locals can get in for a minimum donation of $5 for either a matinee or an evening performance. The donations will help with all the overhead for the production, Raines said.
“There’s a lot of little things that add up, like printing promotional materials, paying for the rights to do the show, paying for the venue to rehearse in and perform in, paying for a little bit of staff at the venue, paying the creative team,” Raines said. “Sets, costumes, props, so that’s what the money is going toward.”
The Lompoc Youth Theater’s summer session is intensive, Raines explained, and aims to give kids a professional-level theater experience. They go to work, she said, whether it’s training in vocals, dance, or even set design or lighting.
Raines said that the theater program’s primary goal is enriching the lives of its students through a “really positive art experience.” A production like Schoolhouse Rock LIVE! Jr. is ideal for the wide range of young people who LYT serves, she said.
“For a youth theater group like this one, there’s a couple things I have in mind,” Raines said. “I want there to be songs that are fun and entertaining, but also fun to learn. And I want there to be a lot of parts so that a lot of kids can get involved and develop their skills and be showcased.
“Schoolhouse Rock, the play, is written in such a way that whether they are a boy or a girl or whether they are 10 or 18 doesn’t matter so much,” she added. “And because it has such flexibility, I know I can involve everyone who auditioned.”
Music Director Simpson joined the Lompoc Youth Theater this year, she told the Sun via email, and brought her own musical skills and musical theater background.
Simpson will perform saxophone live during the benefit concert when the kids aren’t in the spotlight, she said, including songs that are favorites with the first grade class she teaches for her day job. As a teacher, Simpson said she views arts like music as important tools in the educational paths of young people.
“The biggest thing I want to instill with the LTY performers is that it is OK to make mistakes, we learn from our mistakes and get better,” Simpson said. “All the LYT performers have talent and skills, it’s just a matter fostering an environment where they can grow in confidence of their skills and talent. That is what I am hoping to do with the kids this summer.”
Musicals aren’t easy. They involve all the hallmarks of live theater, plus music and usually some dancing.
Though Simpson’s job is primarily coaching the kids in their vocals, there’s so much more that they learn along the way besides carrying a tune, she said.
“I loved performing and participating in theater when I was growing up. It was a great creative outlet for me,” she said. “It taught me hard work, being dependable, being a team player, perseverance, and how to be confident in myself. It’s so important for children to be a part of the things they enjoy. There are not always drama/theater opportunities around for children, so the Lompoc Youth Theater is a great program to have in our community.”
The program allows young performers to discover who they are creatively, Raines explained. What are they good at? What can they work on? What do they love most in theater?
The benefit concert will also give the kids a chance to get comfortable in front of an audience before the musical production. It spurs their creativity and keeps that feeling firm in their mind while doing the hard work of preparing for the shows in July and August.
“I’m really glad that they’re willing to put themselves out there and grow,” Raines said. “And I know that every show, there’s at least one person who shocks me with how much they grow from the beginning and end of the rehearsal process.”
Managing Editor Joe Payne is writing and waiting at conjunction junction. Contact him at jpayne@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in May 31 – Jun 7, 2018.