MCC Theater— one of New York’s leading nonprofit Off-Broadway companies—is driven by a mission to provoke conversations that have never happened and otherwise never would. Founded in 1986 as a collective of artists leading peer-based classes to support their own development as actors, writers, and directors, the tenets of collaboration, education, and community are at the core of MCC Theater’s programming. One of the only theaters in the country led continuously by its founders—Artistic Directors Bob LuPone, Bernie Telsey, and Will Cantler—MCC fulfills its mission through the production of world, American, and New York premiere plays and musicals that challenge artists and audiences to confront contemporary personal and social issues through a shared theatrical experience, and robust playwright development and education and outreach initiatives that foster the next generation of theater artists, students, and audiences.
MCC Theater’s flagship education program, the MCC Theater Youth Company, helps achieve that mission and is predicted on the notion that youth voices are essential to the discussions that we aim to ignite. The Youth Company is a free, after-school program for New York City high school students interested in developing their acting and dramatic writing skills. Within a creative, challenging, and supportive environment, teenagers from five boroughs participate in weekly workshops led by professional theater artists. Our students are encouraged to discover and explore their unique artistic voices as they work together to create and perform original work. Authenticity, originality, energy, honesty, enthusiasm - all of their experiences are essential to the process. Through collaboration, Youth Company members form a supportive ensemble of young artists in an inspiring environment where they are free to experiment, make bold choices, and take risks.
