For more than 53 years, Metro Theater Company has shared the joy and power of theater with students across the St. Louis community. Last year alone, it reached more than 13,000 students in more than 70 local schools. T&S reached out to managing director Jessie Youngblood to learn more about the nonprofit and how it inspires young people to learn and grow by engaging with the arts.
What is the mission of Metro Theater Company?
We foster inclusive community and nurture meaningful learning through the arts. Our primary audience is young people, so we bring professional theatrical productions into schools. We also have classroom residencies and education workshops led by teacher artists to share how the arts encourage imagination, critical thinking, self-expression and confidence. Many people don’t realize that we are the third oldest professional theater company in
St. Louis—only The Muny and The Rep are older. We’ve reached more than two million people through our programs.
Why is it important that young people have access to theatrical experiences?
By investing in our children, we’re investing in a brighter future for our community. We’re giving students the tools they need by connecting education and theater. We try to pick stories that reflect real experiences of young people. Our latest production is Carmela Full of Wishes, which follows a girl as she and her brother run errands in their neighborhood on her birthday. It’s about dreams, family and resilience while also reflecting on current events as Carmela’s father is absent because of the immigration system. It’s an age-appropriate way for kids to engage with the world around them.
What can people expect from a Metro Theater Company season?
Our artistic director Jacqueline Thompson is a powerhouse in the local theater scene. It’s always exciting to see what she has planned. She prioritizes telling stories that center unique voices and uplift the community. We offer two hybrid productions each school year, one in fall and another in spring. We tour to bring the shows into schools and community spaces, and we also have mainstage productions, which offer tickets to the public. This spring, we’ll be presenting Life Doesn’t Frighten Me, which is inspired by the book by Maya Angelou. We also offer virtual field trips for schools that can’t travel. These include access to recordings of previous productions that can be streamed in classrooms.
How can people support Metro Theater Company?
Buying tickets to our public performances is a great way to support the company. We also can always use volunteers and individuals to serve on the board. Just spreading the word is also super helpful. So many young people in St. Louis have been impacted by Metro Theater Company, and they might not even realize it.
For more information, visit metroplays.org.
Photo courtesy of Metro Theater Company
