teen spotlight Venice Theatre is fortunate to have teens in our midst who are talented, intelligent, and fun to be around. We are always looking for new ways to challenge our young people and keep them interested in the theatre. In recent years - at their request - we’ve strived to give our teens more opportunities to learn, grow, perform, and even direct. They’ve stepped up to help us develop programs like the Youth Production Company and the Teen Improv Troupe. They’ve taught us to become more savvy on social media. Each summer a group of middle and high school students work as interns for our education department. Add to this, the chance to be a part of SummerStock or the Technical Theatre Apprenticeship Program (TTAP) and we think VT is one of the coolest places for teens to hang out in Venice!
We have never been shy about giving teens an opportunity to shine. We have never been shy about giving teens an opportunity to shine. Kelly Duyn, now the assistant director of our Education & Outreach Department, was a recent high school graduate when Sandy Davisson invited her to teach her first class. Casey Trascik, now the head of the drama department at Venice High School, received her own high school diploma on the Venice (Little) Theatre stage because she was starring in a show and chose to miss her
18 Venice Theatre Shownotes
KELLY DUYN AND CASEY TRASCIK IN 2002
graduation ceremony. Eli Schildkraut was just 12 years old when he was hired to music direct his first show. In 2019 we commissioned him to write two new songs for our version of A Christmas Carol. He recently graduated from Berklee College of Music. We’re excited to see where his career will take him. Broadway would be no surprise. Many of our young folks get their start with us when they are as little as kindergarteners. Quite a few of them stay involved through middle school and high school. Several return during their college breaks to be in SummerStock or our annual production of A Christmas Carol. Often, they keep in touch even after they begin their careers, perhaps doing a show with us now and then if they live in the area. Sometimes, like Kelly, they come back to work for us. We can’t think of a better endorsement for our education programs!
