MISSION

Our mission is to provide a gathering place where kids from diverse backgrounds can each bring his or her own perspective and sensibilities to the creative process. Center Stage Texas offers opportunities to learn and to lead—a place for young people to thrive, contributing to each other and creating community.

ACTIONS

Center Stage Texas is the brainchild of Dede Clark who has been involved with youth theater in Austin for 30 years through kidsActing. CST is located in the heart of East Austin and is a gathering place where young people with a passion for the arts can develop a sense of community. CST hit the ground running and in two short years created arts education experiences for students in Central and East Austin for free! Programs include the following:

· Youth Arts Enrichment Program: CST currently partners with Campbell and UT Charter Elementary as well as True Light Daycare and Alpha Omega Early Childhood Development Center to provide semester based, weekly, in-school and after-school theater, musical theater, visual arts and dance classes to under-served students in East Austin.

· Arts for the Differently Abled: A year-long program founded by Claire Seymour that exists to give a voice to children with disabilities through the creativity and magic of the arts.

· Movie Nights: Students are invited to CST to sing along to their favorite musical or dress up as their favorite character in a film. CST typically hosts 2 movie nights per semester and 2 in the summer. 

· Youth Productions: CST Players develop and create their own productions and participate in all capacities required to produce a show, from creative to business. The first production was Agatha Christie's mystery "And Then There Were None" and "Arsenic and Old Lace" took the stage in spring 2010.

· Scholarship programs for classes and camps - CST students will participate in professional productions, classes and summer camps through scholarships provided by Center Stage Texas.

 · Global Youth Peace Summit: In 2009, CST partnered with The Dalai Lama Center and Strongheart Fellowship to create a Global Youth Peace Summit in Africa. Children from all the countries in Africa, as well as other countries around the world will meet to discuss peace.