9-12

YMF’s mission is founded on the belief that every student, every person, should have access to the well- documented lifelong benefits that music and media arts education provide. As communities grapple with the profound social-emotional stress of the pandemic, students need the healing, connection, and stronger sense of self so unique to learning and making music more than ever.

At Center Theatre Group and under the leadership of Artistic Director Michael Ritchie, we believe theatre creates an extraordinary connection between artists and audiences that only starts on the stage. Theatre creates the energy that feeds a city, a culture, and a society. Theatre reflects the community it serves. As one of the nation’s most influential nonprofit theatre companies, we proudly continue our 50-year tradition of using the art of theatre to broaden horizons and illuminate new perspectives.

Get Lit – Words Ignite fuses classic and spoken word poetry to increase teen literacy and cultivate enthusiastic learners emboldened to inspire social consciousness in diverse communities. “Claim Your Poem, Claim Your Life.”

The Unusual Suspects Theatre Company (US) is a recognized leader in the fields of arts education, mentorship and community building, having been a thriving force in the underserved neighborhoods of Los Angeles County for over two decades. Our participant-driven theatre-arts programs utilize arts education to mitigate the underlying family and community risk factors that threaten the healthy development of the 1,000+ children and adults we serve annually (90% in grades 5-12), including foster youth and incarcerated minors.

MY OWN STORY is an autobiographical writing/storytelling/performing workshop for youth to creatively explore, write, and perform their own unique autobiographical life stories in the context of monologues, spoken word, and performance/theater. THREE LIVES is a one-man performance/theater show that tells the autobiographical tale of Alex Luu's escape from war-torn Saigon. The show is kinetic/comic/poignant, and addresses themes such as identity, assimilation, racism, and the multi-layers of the American Dream.

Culture Shock Los Angeles is a nonprofit dance and arts education organization that utilizes Hip Hop and urban dance culture to cultivate meaningful education, enrichment and entertainment programs to inspire positive change in the communities we serve.

Create Now is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization that gives youth opportunities to find their voices through arts mentoring and education. We especially serve children ages 2-21 who have been abused, neglected, homeless, domestic violence victims, incarcerated, etc. by matching them with artists, writers, musicians, actors, dancers and others, including mentors who teach life skills. Create Now provides training and materials to implement therapeutic programs in music, writing, visual arts, performing arts, fashion and digital media at 100+ partner agencies, like shelters and group homes.

Johanna Smith is a Professor of Theatre Education, Improvisation, and Puppetry at CSU-San Bernardino. Her research and practice focuses on integrating puppets into classrooms as well as professional Theatre for Young Audiences. She has served as a puppetry artist for Broadway-bound extravaganzas to museums to colleges to preschools and often directs tours for CSUSB. Her production of The Odyssey (director, puppet design) toured to the PuppetFair puppet festival in Sofia, Bulgaria in 2008, followed by a tour of 4 major Chinese cities for the Chonqing Children's Theatre season in 2009.

In just less than three decades of existence, LA Opera has become, under the leadership of Eli and Edythe Broad General Director Plácido Domingo, the United States' fourth largest opera company and "...stands out as a newly important force in American Opera." (Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times).

Musical Theatre West is a professional musical theatre company dedicated to enriching the lives of Southern California Residents. We offer four mainstage musicals each year along with other arts events throughout Long Beach. We have a diverse educational program dedicated to ensuring that each student gets the opportunity to be exposed to the arts.