Manitoba Theatre for Young People facts for kids
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The MTYP
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| Address | 2 Forks Market Road Winnipeg, Manitoba R3C 4X1 |
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| Coordinates | 49°53′17.3″N 97°7′59.08″W / 49.888139°N 97.1330778°W |
| Type | Theatre |
| Capacity | 315 |
| Opened | 1999 |
| Years active | 1982–present |
The Manitoba Theatre for Young People (MTYP) is a special theatre just for kids and teens. It's located in The Forks area of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. MTYP is a very popular place. More than 100,000 people visit it every year!
This theatre complex has two main performance spaces. There's a big Main Stage with 315 seats. There's also a smaller room used for rehearsals and other activities. The building also has four classroom studios. These are great for learning about theatre. You can also find production and wardrobe shops here. These are where costumes and sets are made.
MTYP is one of only two theatres in Canada built especially for young audiences. It's also the only one that offers a full season of plays for teenagers.
Contents
History of MTYP
The theatre started way back in 1965. It was first called Actors' Showcase. In 1977, it became an official organization.
In 1982, a person named Leslee Silverman became the Artistic Director. This is like the main creative leader. Under her guidance, MTYP became a professional theatre. It focused entirely on creating shows for young people.
For many years, the theatre was located in the Gas Station Theatre. This was in the Osborne Village area of Winnipeg.
In 1999, MTYP moved to a new, much bigger building. It's called the Shaw Performing Arts Center. This building is 2,600 square metres (28,000 square feet) big. It was built specifically to house the theatre and its school.
Since 2014, Pablo Felices-Luna has been the Artistic Director.
First Shows at MTYP
When MTYP became a professional theatre in 1982, it had an exciting first season. Here are some of the plays they performed:
- The Little Beast
- Plum Pudding
- You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown
- School Yard Games
- Crying to Laugh
- Magic & the Supernatural in Shakespeare
- Special Project: Feeling Yes, Feeling No: A Child ... Prevention Program
Programs and Classes
The Manitoba Theatre for Young People puts on many plays each year. They have shows for the public and special shows for schools. They also have two plays each year that travel around Winnipeg and Manitoba.
MTYP also has a Theatre School. It offers classes in the fall, winter, and spring. They also have special camps during spring break and summer. Kids as young as three years old can join! More than 1,600 children and teens attend the theatre school.
The school helps beginners learn acting. It also trains older students who want to become professionals. These older students can join the Young Company or Shakespeare Company. They perform in annual productions. MTYP also has a drama outreach program. This program brings workshops to schools all over the province.
MTYP offers free acting, performing, and film classes. These are for Indigenous youth in Winnipeg, aged 12 to 18. A theatre artist named Ian Ross runs this program. It's the largest program of its kind in Canada, with over 500 students.
Awards and Recognition
The Manitoba Theatre for Young People and its former artistic director, Leslee Silverman, have won many awards. These awards celebrate their amazing work:
- In 1991, Leslee Silverman received the 125th Commemorative Medal. This was part of Canada’s 125th Anniversary.
- In 1992, MTYP was the first English theatre to win the Canadian Institute of the Arts for Young Audiences Award.
- MTYP's play Comet in Moominland was nominated for the Chalmers Award in 1994.
- In 1998, their play Old Friends won the Chalmers Award.
- In 2001, Leslee Silverman won the YWCA Woman of Distinction Award. This was for her important contributions to the community through arts and culture.
- In 2003, she received the first Arts Award of Distinction from the Manitoba Arts Council.
- In 2004, Leslee Silverman became an honorary member of the Association for Canadian Theatre Research.
- In 2007, MTYP's Comet in Moominland was invited to open the season at New York's New Victory Theater. This is a very famous theatre!
- Also in 2007, Comet in Moominland won a Dora Mavor Moore Award. This was for Outstanding Production in the Theatre for Young Audiences category.
- In 2010, MTYP received the Human Rights Commitment Award. This recognized their work in promoting human rights for almost 30 years.
- In 2011, Leslee Silverman received the Governor General's Performing Arts Award for Lifetime Achievement. This is one of Canada's highest honours in the performing arts.
Famous Alumni
Many talented students have attended MTYP's theatre school. Some have gone on to become famous actors. Two notable former students are Adam Beach and Nia Vardalos.
