Contact Info: Tamara Montgomery Professor of Theatre: Theatre for Children, Puppetry, Creative Drama 956-2590 tamarah@hawaii.edu	The mission of the Youth Theatre Program at the University of Hawaii is to provide a well balanced education in drama and dance with and for children. Theatre for Youth, Puppetry, Creative Drama and Creative Dance form the pillars upon which the program is built. At all times individuality is stressed and students are encouraged to pursue their own interests and follow their own dreams. The program focuses on both performances for children and curricular integration of the arts in the schools. Every year the Youth Theatre program presents a play to family audiences as part of the UH Kennedy Theatre season. The play is performed to 5,000 children who are bused into the 630 seat theatre. Public shows are given on the weekend. Graduate students direct their MFA thesis productions in the Lab theatre or tour their shows to the schools. Students graduating from the Youth Theatre Program at the University of Hawaii hold many educational and professional positions nationally and internationally. Internationally graduates hold positions as professors, drama coordinators, directors of children's television in countries such as Malaysia ,Indonesia, Pakistan, Thailand, Palau and Saipan. Nationally graduates are professors at schools such as Normal College (Illinois), University of North Carolina, Smith College (Mass), and the University of California at Los Angeles. Graduates have served on the board of the Jim Henson Foundation and continue to work as Sesame Street puppeteers. Others are teachers and actors as well as educational directors for theme parks, cruise lines, and military recreational programs. Students have placed first in the Disney Imagineering Competition and have gone on to serve as interns in the company. In Hawaii graduates of our program fill all the major drama teacher positions in the private and public schools. Several have started their own professional puppet troupes and theatre companies while others work as free lance singers, storytellers and performers. Students have become producers, authors of children's books and videos, and professors at the community colleges. Many work in the educational division of the Honolulu Theatre for Youth. Last revised: August 30, 2005 (mjm) © Copyright 2000, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Department of Theatre and Dance. College of Arts and Humanities. All rights reserved. Questions or suggestions to Site Editor. Site design by Kenneth Yeung. URL: http://www.hawaii.edu/theatre/youth/youth.htm