Established in 1983, Vancouver Youth Theatre is a non-profit society dedicated to the inspiration and education of young actors aged 5 -18. VYT provides a voice for youth and allows them to explore topics relevant to their lives through Playbuilding programs and collaboration with professional directors. Vancouver Youth Theatre aims to increase public awareness of issues facing young people throug
h acting programs, school outreach programs, workshops, tours, and public performances. Vancouver Youth Theatre is theatre for, by, and about young people. We provide an environment where young people are free to express their ideas without risk of censorship. Our productions foster a positive attitude towards the diversity of all people, promoting equality of gender and race. At VYT, young people learn about acting as they build their confidence and self esteem. Through collaborative projects, we encourage the development of important life skills such as team-work, decision making, leadership, critical thinking, and taking direction. VYT supports and values peer based teaching practices in its school outreach programs to promote positive attitudes and behaviours in youth culture. Vancouver Youth Theatre has an established tradition as a pro-active force in the community through theatrical education. Since 1983, we have created over 10 original touring plays and musicals, close to 50 original plays in theatres for the general public, and hundreds of in-house performances as culmination of our regular programs, and reached audiences of over 300,000 young people, teachers, and families. We provide fee waivers, bursaries, and scholarships in order to provide opportunities for families from a wide range of socioeconomic backgrounds. The geographic range of our regular programs is Vancouver, Point Grey, West Vancouver, and North Vancouver. Touring productions have traveled locally and internationally, and most recently, in the Lower Mainland (i.e.Burnaby, Richmond, Delta, Surrey, Maple Ridge, Abbotsford, and Mission).
