Live, on stage! The Tradition of TADA!

For young actors, the TADA! Youth Theater has been the place to start for nearly 20 years. The not-for-profit theater enables children to learn directly from professional choreographers, directors and designers; and gives them the chance to throw their dramatic and musical skills into gear for the audiences they're most likely to be comfortable with: their families and peers.

Working in the theater doesn't necessarily mean being an actor — a point TADA! acknowledges in its educational programs. This is also reflected by the fact that co-founder and executive and artistic director, Nina Trevens, began her own career in the theater not as an actor, but as a stage manager. While her mother worked in theater, Trevens opted instead to study psychology and education. Later she discovered, practically by happenstance, a satisfactory outlet for her duel interests behind the curtain.

"Working as a stage manager is like being a psychologist, and with a theater like TADA!, I get to put both my interests in psychology and education to use," Trevens says. The experience is handy, to say the least, given TADA!'s ensemble of 50 active members. The number may seem a little large, but TADA!'s shows have made use of up to 30-plus young cast members ranging in age from 8 to 17. They produce all-original musicals, commissioned from professional librettists and composers for children age 3 and over.

Although TADA!'s current facility on West 28th Street contains only office and rehearsal space, Trevens says that a theater will be rented later this year to stage productions. Despite the lack of a permanent stage, TADA! is nevertheless known for taking its shows "on the road", performing at venues as diverse as Bryant Park and the Circle Line.

Live performances, however, represent only a third of TADA!'s programs. Its ‘Arts Education Program’ takes place in 40 public schools throughout the city, both during the school day and after school, and weekends at TADA!'s facility. Last year, over 35,000 city school children and 500 city teachers listened to and picked the brains of TADA!'s instructors in the areas of musical theater, playwriting and drama. (The theater has a pool of about 40 teaching artists, with music directors providing live music during classes).