The TADA! Youth Theatre Ensemble brought down the house with two exclusive performances of The Banned Broadway Project during the closing weekend of Banned Books Week. In collaboration with NCAC, the TADA! teens explored controversial themes found in censored plays and musicals and selected scenes from their favorites to prepare for the big night, including Pippin, Rent, and The Laramie Project. A panel discussion with the youth ensemble, along with TADA! and NCAC staff, followed the opening night performance.
The Banned Broadway Project comes on the heels of several high school theater controversies investigated by NCAC this year, including challenges to Spamalot in Pennsylvania, Almost Maine in North Carolina, and Rent in Connecticut.
Since 1984, TADA! Youth Theater has been providing young people of all different backgrounds the opportunity to explore and perform musical theater together in an educational environment. Every year, TADA! produces original musical theater productions performed by kids for family audiences; renowned arts education in-school residencies and after school programs; theater classes and camps for kids taught by professional teaching artists; and free pre-professional training and youth development opportunities through its Resident Youth Ensemble composed of more than 80 NYC kids ages 8-18