Saturday, October 28, 2023

Ujima Theatre program puts kids on center stage

 

Three young actors are taking a break from rehearsal for the original play they wrote and will perform at Ujima Theatre, 429 Plymouth Ave., this fall. Dunbar Theatre Arts Youth Program is an after-school performing-arts program teaching kids ages 12-18 how to sing, dance and act. The company is known for its traditional African and African-American storytelling but includes aspects of Puerto Rico, Iraq and other cultures. At the end of the program, the kids get to perform in front of friends, family, and staff. "What the Dunbar project wants our students to take away is confidence. Confidence in their abilities. Confidence in themselves and what they bring into every room,” Program Director Gabriella McKinley says. By Ariel Scarbrough