Children's Theater Program Brings Positivity to Lake Tahoe

By Shanie Matthews | Sunday, February 28, 2021

What creates a thriving community?

That's a big question with a lot of answers, but one aspect that plays a huge role in a healthy, vibrant community is access to the arts. Whether in the form of visual art or theatrical arts, a healthy society involves this component. Luckily for all of us in Lake Tahoe, we are blessed with a few different organizations that enrich our cultural yearnings. 

One such company is Black Ice Theatre Co. in South Lake Tahoe. A progressive initiative with the motto of engaging their audience with thought-provoking pieces that speak to the human experience, Black Ice Theatre Co. offers a needed look at many experiences we are all facing today. And that includes our youth.

With a world navigating a pandemic, creating a theatrical youth program may seem like a lofty goal. But for Black Ice, the need was evident by the number of parents who came to them looking for a positive way to discuss today's world. With the aid of a grant from the Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority, a plan was created, and the Black Ice Children's Theatre Program was born. An initiative that offers a place for kids to grow, communicate and learn about an ever-changing world, the program is hoping to provide avenues that lend to more easily talking about difficult topics.

To stay true to the empowerment that can come from the theatrical experience, Black Ice's first offering is a musical with the appropriate title, Super Happy Awesome News. Written with youngsters in mind, the writers hope Super Happy Awesome News will provide an opportunity in which kids can safely process and express emotions while interacting with a cast of child actors from across the country. 

A play about the power of positivity, it is written for both children and adults. The musical offers a glimpse into the lives of two siblings who are launching rival news networks that focus on the good in people. The two eventually find themselves competing for the coveted happiest news show, sending their correspondents into a tornado of positivity in the form of singsong weather forecasts, bubbly cooking classes and euphoric political discussions. The positivity slowly shows a different side, though, and the children are left to wonder if raw honesty and happy broadcasting go hand in hand. 

Directed by Richard S. Sargent and Pamela Taylor, the play is certain to be a fantastic addition to the Tahoe community. The hope is that it will bring the awareness that happy news is something children and adults can use right now.

The musical will be hosted virtually, with tickets costing $12.50 per household. The play started streaming online via YouTube beginning March 1 and will stream throughout the month. All proceeds will go back to the Black Ice Children's Theatre. Please visit their website for additional information.

Be sure to visit our Daytime and Nightlife sections to learn about other fun and exciting Lake Tahoe events that will bring positivity to your family.

Photos from Black Ice Theatre Co.

 

 

About the Author Shanie Matthews
A longtime Lake Tahoe local, Shanie is a freelance writer, Vinyasa Flow yoga teacher and positivity warrior. A true lover of the the gorgeous Tahoe region, she connects with the serenity of the mountains via skiing, biking and backpacking. She also believes in the gift of yoga and its way of allowing one to become his or her true best self, a passion she shares with the world with her online yoga studio.
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