By Tabitha Ervin
FWIS Editorial Director

The Fort Wayne Youtheatre has served youth and families in the Fort Wayne community and is celebrating 90 years in the 2024-2025 season! There are so many stories and such a rich history connected to this great organization whose mission is to educate, engage, and entertain area youth and families through theatre arts. Over the past 90 years, Youtheatre's classes, camps, workshops, community outreach, and live productions have reached countless individuals across multiple generations.

My daughter is interested in theatre and she tried out for a play last year and although she didn’t get a part, we supported the production and those we knew were actors. In the fall of 2024, we decided to try one of the many classes offered by the organization. She enjoyed that class and met fellow youth actors, we tried out for the coming production and got a part! As I have personally engaged with this organization from the parent perspective, I am very proud of the work they do and have done in the Fort Wayne community with our budding thespians.

I have learned so much about this organization in a few short weeks of rehearsals and I’m sharing with hopes that we all connect to and support their great work for our Fort Wayne youth!

In 2014, the organization started its Young Heroes of Conscience series which has tackled big topics around social justice and youth empowerment. From exploring racism with Ruby Bridges, the emotional toll of war with Baghdad Zoo, and the AIDS crisis of the 1980s with The Kid From Kokomo: The Ryan White Story. This year, the theatre is continuing its commitment to thought-provoking theatre with the coming show, Something Happened in Our Town.

Synopsis of the story

Friendships challenged, a world changed, and two young people trying to make sense of it together.

Neighbors Josh and Emma are best friends. But something has happened in their town. When a black man is killed by a police officer, Emma and Josh have questions—real questions that deserve real answers. With so much going on, the two don’t know how to keep their friendship from being pulled apart. Layered with compassion and humor, this play invites you into the living rooms of these two families (one black and one white) as they wrestle with how to help their children make sense of what happened. Playwright Cheryl D. West invites you to walk alongside Josh and Emma as they confront uncertainty within their own town and seek to plant the seeds of change in their community.

The organization's website has been updated to include several resources that can be used by families and classrooms to engage in meaningful conversation about the themes present in the play. After each performance, they will host talk-backs with community partners, giving audiences and young artists a chance to reflect, share their thoughts, and dive deeper into these important conversations. For this production, they are proud to have United Front and Fort Wayne Urban League as community partners.

I was able to connect with Executive Director Heather Closson, Artistic Director Christopher Murphy and had a chance to speak with Marcus Weemes, the guest director of the show who all shared important information with me on the history of the organization as well as the selection of this production.

Marcus is originally from Fort Wayne, attended Ball State majoring in theatre and spent time in California before recently returning. He participated in youtheatre when he was younger and shared with me that he valued what that experience provided him. He feels it helped him become the person he is and helped with his self confidence and artist growth.

He is excited about the message in this production for the community especially as a biracial person who has himself experienced some of the things being discussed. “This is relevant information for all of us in these times and we hope this kid friendly story helps create more understanding in our community through the innocence of the youth actors”, shared Marcus.

Marcus also shared that he wants to help get the message out there so we can all have conversations that can create understanding.

He said, “We know everyone will love it and learn something!”

Heather shared,

“Fort Wayne Youtheatre is proud to have both United Front and Fort Wayne Urban League engaged as community partners with this production.

The cast is composed of 18 actors and supported by a team of 3 stage managers. I am proud of the representation on the stage, as it is truly reflective of our Fort Wayne community. While many faces may be familiar to those who frequent Youtheatre productions, we are also proud to share that several of the actors in this production are making their Youtheatre debut!”

You don’t want to miss this amazing production!

Tickets are available on the website now and you don’t want to miss this thought-provoking play: https://www.fortwayneyoutheatre.org/something-happened