December 6th, 2023. Casa 0101 Theater recently wrapped up its fall youth program, a nine-week program of acting and singing classes for students ages 7-18. The program, facilitated by seasoned instructors and performers Chrissi Erickson, Melodee Fernandez, Jocelyn Sanchez, and Raquel Salinas, not only provided invaluable artistic training but also championed inclusivity by offering these classes at no cost and ensuring that young talents, regardless of their economic backgrounds, could access professional training and nurture their artistic passions. The program also emphasized holistic artistic development, instilling self-confidence and teamwork skills in the young participants. Raquel Salinas’ Acting for Beginners class focused on telling a story from the heart, and the final showcase performance had the students perform a monologue before their parents about a meaningful object or song in their lives. Jocelyn Sanchez’ Intermediate Acting Class saw a lot of returning students from our summer Matilda Jr. production. The class focused on scene work and bringing out energy to convey emotions to the audience. Chrissi Erickson’s Singing class for youth ages 7-11 developped the students confidence with their voice. Melodee Fernandez’ singing class for youth ages 12 – 18 focused on projecting while singing at the right pitches. The final showcase performance allowed all the youth an opportunity to develop their public speaking and performance skills.

This program was made possible in part by The Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Cultures’s CIAG – (Community Impact Arts Grant), the National Latinx Theatre Initiative, and the Perenchio Foundation.