STUDENT THEATRE ENRICHMENT PROGRAM (STEP) 2022: The Myth of Me
July 28, 2022 - August 07, 2022
Times and locations vary, see below.*Aug 5th performance has been cancelled due to rain.
FREE
Cleveland Public Theatre’s celebrated Student Theatre Enrichment Program (STEP) is Cleveland’s longest-running arts and job training program for teens. STEP returns to outdoor performance venues this summer, with an original play, The Myth of Me.
A neighborhood at the crossroads of past and present faces a collective crisis when a young girl loses all sense of hope. A greedy landlord and mysterious events shake the community into an awakening that sparks a revolution of thought. To succeed, they must begin to see one another truly for the first time. Inspired by familiar myths and legends, The Myth of Me urges us to ask what we really know of one another and ourselves. What are the truths, what are the lies, and what exists for all of us in the space between? Is our fate predetermined, or must we act to create our own destiny? Infused with music and dance, this original piece offers joy, humor, and heart. Created by a team of talented Cleveland youth with guidance from professional local artists, The Myth of Me celebrates the important stories which exist within us all.
The Myth of Me showcases the ensemble work of 15 young artists who are currently navigating the balance between the worlds of childhood and adulthood. Join us to experience this unique piece of free outdoor theatre!
Producer Raymond Bobgan
Education Director Nicole Sumlin
Director Melissa Crum
Teaching Artists Cyril Amanfo, Zavi Odetta, Christian Mintah
Tech Team Lead Garrett Markgraf
Tech Team Assistant Janya Robinson
Costume Designer Inda Blatch-Geib
Assistant Designer and Crafts Person Dred Geib
Performance Ensemble Hope (Zion) Benson, Nicole Capellan, Yousif Elberri, Avieana Faulks-Williams, Samantha Gallo, Samia Keeton, Jaylen King, Elisa Lovelace, Kayla Ponyard, Jaiyah Pryor, Tatyana Rojas-Hibbitt, Lauryn Stewart, Alija Toles, Isaiah Young, Ja’Miyah Youngs
Very special thanks to Councilpersons: Council President Blaine A. Griffin, Kevin Conwell, Kerry McCormack, Rebecca Maurer, Charles Slife, Jenny Spencer, Richard A. Starr.
Made possible through the generous support of: Cleveland City Council and the Mayor’s Office of Prevention, Intervention, and Opportunity for Youth and Young Adults; Brewer-Garrett; Cleveland Foundation; Dollar Bank Foundation; First Federal Lakewood; Martha Holden Jennings Foundation; David & Inez Myers Foundation, PNC Bank
Special thanks to these Community Partners Bellaire-Puritas Development Corporation; Burten, Bell, Carr Development, Inc.; City of Cleveland Department of Community Development; Cleveland Metropolitan School District; Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority; Northwest Neighborhoods CDC, Detroit Shoreway Community Development Organization; Slavic Village Development; Tremont West Development Corporation, The Iron Ward
Click here for Arts in August info
What is STEP?
CPT’s Student Theatre Enrichment Program (STEP) is a rigorous arts-based program that provides hands-on job training, engaging Cleveland youth from families defined as low-income in a powerful learning experience that develops job skills, academic achievement, and interpersonal skills. As part of this eight-week summer program, youth, ages 14-19, work together to create, produce, perform, and tour their own play. This program is the longest-running arts-based, workplace development program in Cleveland and is an international model for engaging youth. Since its beginning in 1994, STEP has received multiple awards and recognitions including those from the City of Cleveland, The President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, and the National Endowment for the Arts. Through STEP, teens see themselves as a positive and inspirational force, and watch as their work has an impact on the larger Cleveland community.
