Superior Arts Youth Theater (SAY Theater) has announced all upcoming productions in their 2024 season. Under the new leadership of Executive Director, Becky Heldt and Artistic Director, Sara Parks, the organization has introduced a new season planning model that follows the calendar year.
“We’ve made a conscious effort to plan our season programming in conjunction with our fiscal year,” said Heldt. “By announcing every major production scheduled in 2024” Heldt continued “we have the opportunity to better engage our community in our programs, plan our budgets and funding efforts – and most importantly, provide more arts opportunities for local youth”. SAY Theater’s fiscal year runs from January 1st through December 31st.
The 2024 season theme is “Normal is a Myth” and features three mainstage musicals and a spring play series, in addition to SAY Theater’s annual summer arts camps and participation in community events.
The “Normal is a Myth” season kicks off with a production of the new rock musical The Lightning Thief, the Percy Jackson Musical directed by Artistic Director, Sara Parks. This dynamic musical adaptation of Rick Riordan’s bestselling book The Lightning Thief features a book by Joe Tracz with music and lyrics by Rob Rokicki. Teenager Percy Jackson embarks on an epic journey with his friends after he discovers he is a demigod. In this tale, Percy must find Zeus’ missing lightning bolt to prevent a war among the gods. SAY Theater’s production The Lightning Thief, the Percy Jackson Musical is scheduled for March 7th through March 10th, 2024. Auditions for this production will announced on December 15th, 2023.
In the spring comes the return of SAY Theater’s Play Series where three one-act productions will be presented. The first one-act in the Spring Play Series is a new adaptation of William Shakespeare’s Two Gentlemen of Verona adapted and directed by Teagan Sturmer. This production will feature performers in grades 7th through 12th. The second one-act will be a production of The Reluctant Dragon by Kathryn Schultz Miller and directed by Sara Parks. This retelling of the 1898 children’s story by Kenneth Grahame will feature performers in 6th grade and under.
The third production in the Spring Play Series is the new SAY Theater Youth Playwriting Project premiere. From January to March, interested High School students will collaborate to adapt a new one-act play from a public domain property and then workshop their project with their fellow youth. The resulting script will be youth-directed and designed and will feature youth performers ages 8 to 18. This year’s project will be an adaptation of the classic work Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery.
In July 2024, SAY Theater will present Junie B. Jones the Musical Jr. Created by Marcy Heisler and Zina Goldrich, the team behind the musical Dear Edwina, comes a delightful adaptation of four of Barbara Park’s best-selling books, brought to life in a genuinely comical (and not strictly-for-kids) musical developed by TheatreworksUSA. Junie B. Jones the Musical Jr. is scheduled for July 25th through July 28th, 2024.
Finally, in November 2024, SAY Theater will present Disney’s Finding Nemo Jr. This 60-minute musical adaptation of the beloved 2003 Pixar movie Finding Nemo features new music by award-winning songwriting team Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, with a book adapted by Lindsay Anderson and music and orchestrations adapted and arranged by Myrna Conn. Disney’s Finding Nemo Jr. is scheduled for November 7th through 10th, 2024.
Artistic Director, Sara Parks is excited for the community to experience this new season. “Whether you’re a performer, helping backstage, or watching from the audience, this season has something for everyone,’ Parks proclaimed. “We will be taking a journey through many exciting worlds, exploring unique characters, and discovering that being different can truly be a person’s greatest strength”. Parks hopes the community will “join us on this journey of raw emotion, self-discovery, laughter, tears, and so much more!”
Audition and registration information for each program will be announced throughout 2024. Tickets for each event will be available roughly 30 days before each production. For more information, visit SAY Theater’s website www.saytheater.org, and subscribe to their newsletter or follow SAY Theater on social media.
All 2024 productions, including the Spring Play Series, are available for Individual and Corporate Sponsorships. Interested sponsors are encouraged to email info@saytheater.org or call 888-785-0512 to learn more about the benefits of sponsorship.
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