Since Jan. 2023, the National Queer Theater has been hosting Staging Pride, an after-school program for LGBTQ+ youth to explore queer cultures and identities through theater.
The program, which is free and open to youth ages 13-18, offers participants opportunities to build theater skills, create an original show, attend Broadway and Off-Broadway productions, and take classes with professional artists.
Staging Pride was created to provide a free and affirming space for LGBTQ youth, giving them a chance to engage in creative self-expression and find community amidst increasingly hostile political environments. Most importantly, it allows these queer youth to connect with peers and build a community that they might not otherwise have.
“Our main focuses are collaboration through devised theater and building community,” said Khadija Bangoura, a teaching artist with Staging Pride.
Theater and the arts have always been an outlet for queer people of all ages to creatively express themselves through artistic freedom and choice. This is especially important for youth who are actively discovering who they are as a queer person.
“There’s so much in theater, especially youth, about finding your own voice and feeling confident and brave enough in that,” said Bangoura. “The theme of this semester’s program is ‘finding our queer voice.'”
This theme is central to the group’s original play this semester, which is set in a dystopian world where gender expression is strictly monitored and assigned by the ruling powers. Bangoura described the story as “absurd,” yet reflective of the current political climate and a means for the youth group to creatively process their experiences.
HERE Arts Center, located at 145 6th Ave., will host the play on Dec. 17 at 8:30. It is open to the public and tickets are free – keep an eye out on Here’s website because they will be available soon.
The program has previously partnered with The LGBT Center and The Door, two LGBTQ organizations in New York City. Since last semester, though, Staging Pride has collaborated with the Hetrick-Martin Institute (HMI) at Astor Place. HMI provides a rehearsal space, mental health services, gender-affirming care, and free dinners for participants, helping to support both the creative and personal development of the students.
Applications for the spring semester are currently open for any LGBTQ youth ages 13-18, and individuals can apply at nationalqueertheater.org.
