pre-teen and teen plays

The Teen Play is Our Time's signature program, and as a result of Our Time's success working with teenagers, Our Time added a similar program for pre-teens during the 2004/2005 season. Through the Pre-Teen and Teen Plays, young people who stutter are asked, "What is important to you? What do you want to share with the world?" The pre-teens and teens are then given the opportunity to express themselves and say what they want to say, without the fear of someone ridiculing them or cutting them off. Under the guidance of a staff of professional artists, The plays provide theatrical training to teens and pre-teens who stutter and annually produces a play (featuring original songs and choreography) written and performed by the pre-teens and teens.

The Teen Play involves teenagers who stutter, ages 13-18, who gather weekly in a rehearsal studio to write and rehearse an original ensemble play, incorporating theatrical skills they learn throughout the process. Rehearsals take place every Saturday for three hours at a rehearsal studio in midtown Manhattan.

The Pre-Teen Play involves ten kids who stutter, ages 8-12, who gather weekly in a rehearsal studio to write and rehearse five short plays, incorporating theatrical skills they learn throughout the process. Rehearsals take place every Friday OR Saturday for two hours at a rehearsal studio in midtown Manhattan.

The rehearsal process for both teens and pre-teens runs for a 34-week period, from October to June, and culminates in a full-scale production of the play written and performed by Our Time members. The final two weeks of the program rehearsing every day after school to prepare for the public debut of the show. In addition to creating original scripts and songs, the company members are also heavily involved in making decisions about production elements such as sets, costumes, props, and lights. The annual production takes place each spring in New York City.

There is no audition for prospective pre-teens or teens and no performance experience necessary. Our Time pre-teens and teens are chosen based on their openness to learn about theatre and music, their willingness to make a commitment to participate in the company, and their understanding that Our Time is a place of ongoing respect and support. Our Time serves all of its teen members free of charge.

Previous productions include (Teens): Stories From the Cardboard Box (Blue Heron Theatre, 2002), The Mystery of the Diamond (Abingdon Theatre, 2003), For the Love of Family (Theatre Three, 2004), New Beginning (Theatre Three, 2005), Wake Up and Start Dreaming (Chernuchin Theatre, 2006), The Importance of Being Wanted (Cherry Lane Theatre, 2007), Carrying On (Cherry Lane Theatre, 2008), If Your Go (Cherry Lane Theatre, 2009), One Thing In Common (Five Angles Theater, 2010), and In 5 Parts (Five Angles Theater, 2011).

Previous productions include (Pre-Teens): Movie Madness (Theatre Three, 2005), These Plays Rock (Chernuchin Theatre, 2006), Slammin' Events (Cherry Lane Theatre, 2007), Stupendelicious (Cherry Lane Theatre, 2008), Awesomealicious (Cherry Lane Theatre, 2009), Superaction (Five Angles Theater, 2010), and The Flow (Five Angles Theater, 2011).

Read an excerpt from Slammin' Events' Worlds Collide, written and performed by the Our Time Pre-teen company in 2007.

Read an excerpt from For the Love of Family, written and performed by the Our Time teen company in 2004.

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