Act Out Theatre Company, a tuition-free youth theater group historically based in North Long Beach, is celebrating a decade of free youth arts programming this year.
The program has come a long way since its debut show in 2012—a performance of “James and the Giant Peach” with nine middle school students and two adults.
“Fast forward ten years and now we serve roughly 250 kids and families a year, and we have audience attendance that’s up near 2,500 people,” program founder Travis Wade said. “We’ve grown into one of the largest youth arts and education programs in the city of Long Beach.”
Next month, the company will put on another performance of “James and the Giant Peach,” a nod to its first show, this time with a team of 75.
The company was founded by Wade in 2011 when he “recognized a need in the community that wasn’t being met”—affordable arts and theater programs.
With four children himself, he knew that tuition-based theater programs could be cost-prohibitive for parents. But he grew up in the theater and wanted the same for his children and other children in Long Beach.
“Especially in North Long Beach, where there’s a lot of at-risk kids, there’s a lot of underserved kids, there’s a lot of kids that just weren’t getting any sort of arts education or arts programming,” Wade said. “Nothing was available for them.”
A local church in North Long Beach had turned a former warehouse into a 5,000-square-foot community center. Wade asked the church about the underutilized space.
He told them he wanted to start “a little theater and arts education program”—he had experience directing theater programs in Colorado for elementary and high school students, as well as a bit of community theater directing under his belt.
The church agreed to lend him the space.
He focused his outreach on local middle school students—an age where the kids could grow up with the theater if they chose.
High school senior Daynna Rosales was one of those students. She’s been with the company since she learned about Act Out through a sixth-grade field trip. Rosales was already taking “expensive” dance classes but she leveraged the free tuition to win over her mother.
She’s participated in every single Act Out show since she joined in 2016—performing in 11 shows and assistant directing in two.
“I don’t think I’m exaggerating in the slightest when I say it shaped me as a person,” Rosales said. “Being around this wonderful community, being around people that I now consider my family.”
For this year’s rendition of “James and the Giant Peach,” she’s taken on a new role: co-director. She called the experience “wonderful” and “surreal.”
“I feel like I’ve really grown up as a person and as a performer with becoming more sociable, with taking myself seriously, with gaining a lot of confidence within myself and my abilities,” Rosales said. “This has truly blossomed that in me.”
On Monday, April 4, Rosales helmed the stage, working in tandem with Wade to block out scenes and direct actors for their first rehearsal.
“When I was a kid, I grew up kind of isolated. I didn’t really feel the same sense of community within my family or my school, or with anything that I did,” Rosales said. “But Act Out was the first time that I truly felt I was part of something. And that has stuck with me forever.”
The Millikan High School student is headed to university later this year and plans to double-major in theater and computer science in college.
“We’ve created this environment, I think where it just goes way beyond theater and performing,” Wade said. “It’s a place I think, where kids feel at home, right? They feel encouraged. They feel loved. They feel they feel like we have really high expectations for them. But they feel like they can meet those expectations, so we’re really proud of them.”
Theater mom Carol Bluee-Walker sat in a room adjacent to rehearsals on Monday, discussing costumes with another mom. Earlier this year, her son Evan, an El Camino College student with previous theater experience, read in a newspaper that Act Out was holding auditions.
“We came to see ‘High School Musical,’ and we love, love, loved it,” Bluee-Walker said. “We were very impressed by Mr. Travis. His professionalism, and just kind of the way he bonded with the children.”
Evan auditioned and got a role in “James and the Giant Peach”—his first show with Act Out. They commute from Gardena for every rehearsal.
On Monday, Evan sashayed around the stage, commanding the attention of onlooking students. His past experience in theater was evident as he flourished his hands, emphasizing the lines of his character.
“It gives them really a foundation in terms of sportsmanship. It’s a life lesson. And I think as they perfect the art, they learn from highs and lows,” Bluee-Walker said. “A lot of programs, everybody’s rewarded for everything. I think in life, sometimes you’re going to be great, sometimes you’re not. This helps them. They can see themselves grow. “
17-year-old Joseph Fausto, a Millikan High School student, has been with the company since seventh grade.
At the time, he had already participated in plenty of group activities—”Name all the sports, I did them”—but said they “weren’t his thing.”
When he saw a flier for a play, he thought: “Why not?”
Now, six years later, he, like Rosales, plans to double major in musical theater.
“It completely changed my life. It gave me more confidence,” Fausto said. It gave me a passion, something that I love so much.”
Though Act Out may not have the expensive technical equipment of a district-funded high school program, Fausto said the company punches above their weight, especially given the free tuition.
“We don’t put on your typical middle school productions,” Wade said.
Act Out Theatre Company is supported by ticket sales and donations from community organizations like the Arts Council of Long Beach and the Port of Long Beach.
The theater company is growing, not just in attendance and students but also in physical size. As of this year, Wade is holding rehearsals at the Hoover Middle School Auditorium in Lakewood—a venue with 400 seats compared to the 150 at the community center.
He’s working to find a permanent location for the theater company in North Long Beach.
“I think supporting local theater is super important,” Fausto said. “When adults or parents or even fellow students or kids come and support programs like these, whether by being in it, donating to it, or just watching the show, it really does help these programs to continue to grow and continue to happen.”
Act Out Theatre Company will hold performances of “James and the Giant Peach” on May 6, 7, 8, 13, 14 and 15. Tickets are on sale now for $12 online and $15 at the door and can be purchased at www.actoutlb.com. The performance will take place at the Hoover Auditorium, 3501 Country Club Dr, Lakewood, 90712.
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