YES KIDS participants are exposed to sessions of teambuilding and training in musical, movement, and theatrical skills. The icing on the cake is a weekend of performances of a selected Broadway Junior piece from Music Theatre International. The Broadway Junior selection is adapted for young performers of elementary and middle school age.  The Broadway Junior package includes educational and performance material designed to introduce students to the thrill and enchantment of putting on a show.  Broadway Junior also provides an activity book of interdisciplinary exercises based on the show to integrate the production into the school curriculum.

Over 25 county elementary and Junior High schools are represented in the cast and crew. And while the rehearsals and production scope are scaled down to meet the month long program schedule, the in-kind donations of nearly 80 volunteers is quintessential to the success of the program.

Following suit with YES Company’s mission to provide arts for all, admission is free with a suggested donation per person gladly accepted. YES KIDS participants pay a $200 participation fee to ensure the program is financially self-contained. All funding received from tuition directly defers licensing, materials, and staffing costs. Tuition scholarships, provided through the Education Foundation of Stanislaus County, are available for those in need, ensuring a diverse KIDS company.
 
YES Company alumni serve as cross-age mentors and trainers, and at times join the younger cast on stage. Beside earning community service credit, the mentors re-examine their own choices and responsibilities as they observe the positive effect they can have on another person’s life.

© SCOE/YES CO.