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Changing Lives is back for the summer!

We are three weeks into our program with an ensemble of enthusiastic and super talented teens. These ensemble members have been writing monologues inspired by different prompts including visual art, video clips, and their own personal experiences. They have also begun to do improvisational activities and acting work as well.

We would love to share some pictures from our first couple of sessions.

Colton and Marielle hanging on every word Nitra says.

Time to look at some art to inspire our monologues!

Pure awesomeness

A little creepy

Woa.

Karla found inspiration in her piece.

Nick deep in writing.

Colton interacting with the art while making custom messages for us.

Continue following us in the coming weeks with more news about what we’re up to.

Thanks for stopping by!

Join the Free Summer CLYTE!

Are you a teen who'd enjoy creating art that makes a difference?

Is there a young person you know who inspires other youth to be their best?

Are you connected to someone who works with teens that could help us spread the word?

Some more info . . .

Who are we?

Changing Lives is a program of SafePlace and the Theatre Action Project. The Changing Lives Youth Theatre Ensemble is a group of high school age artist/activists who create original performances about issues that affect teens. During the school year, our students create a play in the fall semester which we tour in the spring to various middle schools and community events. Our goal is to ignite dialogue about issues like bullying, dating violence, prejudice, homophobia through the art of theatre. During the school year, our students are paid a stipend for their work.

What's up this summer?

Right now we are looking for creative, outgoing youth ages 13-20 to be a part of our FREE summer program. This program will run from June 14th through August 4th. We will meet twice a week from 1-3pm at Paragon Prep school on Tuesdays & Thursdays. We will also host a FREE retreat to the Hill Country the weekend of July 16th & 17th. Positions for the summer are unpaid but if a student enrolled in the summer program is interested in committing to the program for the following school year, they will have the opportunity to fold into a paid position with the ensemble without auditioning.

Please reply to this email (please no 'reply all') or contact me via cell (361-537-6163) with interest or questions. Text & talk is OK - before 10 PM please.

If this message reaches you after June 14th, find me anyway -- there's always room for one more person if it's the right person. ;)

Changing Lives @ Peter Pan Mini-Golf!

The Changing Lives Youth Theatre Ensemble has been hard at work touring our production ofReach Out, Speak Up throughout the Austin Area. Since November, our ensemble has performed for over 3,000 people!

After all this hard work, we thought it was time to have FUN

in a different kind of environment.

Here we are with our new friend, the T-Rex

Tommie, Lina & Darryl before the match begins

Nicole & Darryl pose thoughtfully

Kristal, Nicle, Lina & Joe goofin' out on the turtle!

The youth in our ensemble have fun doing just about anything together. Having the experience of being an ensemble has created connections between us that go beyond our jobs as a theatre group. We're all really good friends too!

If you know of any creative, motivated youth who would enjoy doing what we do, please tell them about upcoming auditions for our summer company.

Contact nitra@theatreactionproject for more info!

Changing Lives in the Media Spotlight

Check out our feature on KXAN news!!

Kudos to our ensemble for being amazing on-camera

and taking a stand against bullying.

Student play attacks bullying: kxan.com

In addition to writing the show and performing, our ensemble members also get some pretty amazing opportunities to spread our anti-bullying message. Here we are participating in a media training.

Media training allows us to practice answering questions

in an interview format.

The best part is that we get to practice it all ON CAMERA!

Who knew that untangling a human knot could be this much FUN!?!?

Spreading Our Message on the Road

Reach Out, Speak Up has been touring to conferences and middle schools this month. The ensemble has been performing this show and having exciting dialogue with students, educators and parents in Austin and the surrounding area.

Kristal (as Claire - the target of bullying) and Greg

(as Claire's Dad) perform a scene that shows

a Dad reaching out to his daughter

by playing a song he wrote just for her.

(At the Con Mi Madre Conference)

Ensemble members getting CHEEZY for the cameras!

(L to R: Max, Adrian, Madi, Greg & Boni)

Last minute PEP talk before our show at Wallace MS in Kyle, TX

After the show, we sometimes get GOOFY :)

Thanks for tuning in!

Reach Out, Speak Up Trailer

Check out the trailer for our 2010-2011 touring show, "Reach Out, Speak Up."

Our tour kicks off at full speed in February for Teen Dating Violence Prevention Month.

We'll be coming soon to a school near you!