Youth Theatre to stage `Sound of Music' and `Freaky Friday'
After kicking off its summer season with the story of the children of Disney's most well-known heroes and villains, Los Gatos Youth Theatre will stage a classic musical that became a beloved movie and a show based on a classic movie that became a musical.
“Descendants,” which had performances June 23-24, featured about 50 7to 14-year-olds who spent three weeks rehearsing during the LGYT day camp. For the first time this year, the theater group expanded the age range for its summer day camp.
These students perform “The Sound of Music” July 14-17, and the program's high school students will stage “Freaky Friday” July 21-24.
Director Patrick Gamman, a sophomore at Santa Clara University, started acting in the very program he is now directing back when he was in middle school. He also worked as a stage manager and assistant director in previous productions.
“I think one of the most important things is the sense of community you get, because everybody — no matter how big or small their role is — is important to the show,” Gamman said. “If one ensemble member is missing, it throws off everything. No matter if you have lines or not, you are an important part. This thing is a puzzle piece that is connected to everything, and I think it really forms a bond with everybody that really lasts a lifetime.”
After tackling the role of Curtis in SCU's production of “Sister Act,” Gamman
said he's considering majoring in theater and pursuing a career in the field.
“Going through a program like this really prepares you,” he added. “I thought I was going to be completely out of my depth because I'd never done college theater, but I think having done so many shows, knowing how it runs, getting the nerves out for auditions … having actually experienced that, I think it properly prepared me for college and doing theater in a more upper division.”
LGYT alumni have come back to the program to help with everything from choreography to stage directing, artistic director Heather Stokes said.
“What I really like to do as artistic director is to reach out to that sort of college-age group and find new talent, and give those young adults the opportunity to have their first job in theater,” Stokes said. “It gives them an opportunity to start that process, and then they also have it on their resume.”
Stokes is a former Broadway performer and starred in the 1994 revival of “Grease” alongside Rosie O'Donnell, Megan Mullally and Sutton Foster.
The theater group has navigated the challenges of the pandemic by producing a video compilation of students singing Broadway hits instead of hosting a live performance, and last year staging an outdoor performance of “All Shook Up.”
Stokes said the pandemic caused a lot of theater professionals to leave the industry or leave the state due to lack of work and the high cost of living. Now that productions are up and running again, demand for lighting and sound tech professionals is skyrocketing.
“We would like to be a full-circle theater company, where not only do we have performers and teach the kids how to perform and be on stage, but we are venturing in running a theater tech program.”
Stokes envisions programming for everything
from costume development to scenic and lighting design.
With the show right around the corner, the students said they are excited about the upcoming productions.
“It's really about trying to figure out who you are by yourself, because you can figure it out by playing different roles and seeing how different things fit you,” Kora Olivo said.
The program also works with local schools to put on productions during the school year.
“I think what sets us apart. … LGYT is like a boutique theater experience,” Stokes said. “You get the quality, but you also get the individual attention that is not generally done in larger theaters. … It's actually a pretty big demand because most schools have gotten rid of their programs.”
LGYT performances are at the Fisher Middle School Auditorium, 19195 Fisher Ave., Los Gatos. For showtimes and ticket information, visit https://lgyt.net.