Skills that last a lifetime
YPT Theatre Arts Academy (TAA) teaches children from age three the fundamentals of dramatization and story structure, while instructing older children in acting, performance, musical theatre and stagecraft and production.
Classes are tailored to narrow age ranges, up to age 15, using a repertoire of techniques that have been developed and refined by our accomplished instructors over many years. Children work with classic and contemporary stories, as well as create their own unique adventures. Most classes culminate with a performance for family and friends.
James and the Giant Peach, 2019
© Amal Bisharat Photography
The Academy strives not to propel kids into performance careers but rather to cultivate a love of the arts and impart skills to succeed in life, including creative problem solving, teamwork, focus, empathy and self-confidence. We help students develop their own voices and get more in touch with their creative abilities.
TAA serves as the primary talent incubator for our main stage production company, YPT Repertory. Participation in TAA does not, however, guarantee an opportunity to join Repertory, which provides an experience modeled on that of a professional theatre company.
Beyond home base at Fort Mason Center for Arts & Culture, YPT offers on-site theatre classes at Bay Area schools. Programming is tailored to the needs of each school and may be extracurricular, sometimes funded by Parent Teacher Student Associations (PTSAs). YPT also makes its space at Fort Mason available to schools to rehearse and present productions.