Detroit Teens Give Voice to Life and Learning on Stage

Mosaic Youth Theatre of Detroit is bringing back the highly regarded and extremely successful New Voices: Detroit Festival at the Detroit Public Theater on Aug. 2, 2024, at 7 p.m. Now in its fourth year, this celebrated event promises to captivate and inspire audiences with a compelling showcase of 12 original one-act plays and songs, all crafted by the exceptionally talented teen students of Detroit.

The festival culminates in a rigorous six-week paid intensive program, wherein young participants are strategically paired with seasoned professional playwrights and composers. Throughout the program, these budding artists hone their storytelling skills, receiving invaluable mentorship and guidance as they bring forth their creative visions onto the stage. It’s a testament to the power of nurturing emerging talent and fostering creativity within the community.

 Edmund Alyn Jones, the Artistic Associate at Mosaic Youth Theatre of Detroit, emphasizes the importance of this significant support for young writers in fostering the emergence of influential storytellers in the future.

“Detroit has a rich legacy of playwrights, composers, and storytellers like Diarra Kilpatrick, Ryan Destiny, Dominique Morisseau, Malaya Watson, Michael R. Jackson, and many more,” Jones said.

This year’s festival is dedicated to showcasing the transformative potential of pivotal moments, emphasizing the profound influence of present choices on the future. Through its initiative, New Voices: Detroit, the festival seeks to foster and amplify the voices of emerging storytellers from the city, providing essential opportunities for young individuals to craft and share their unique narratives.

New Voices: Detroit is a program dedicated to empowering high school students by giving them the tools and opportunities to transform their ideas into unique artistic creations. Through this initiative, teens can develop valuable skills in playwriting, choral composition, and performance, which helps them express themselves creatively and opens up new avenues for a diverse range of voices to be heard.

The program is designed to nurture a broader base of support for arts and culture, creating an atmosphere where the younger generation can develop an understanding of and connection to a wide range of artistic expressions. This year’s festival has been made possible through generous support from the NBA Foundation, Bank of America, the Jeffrey Seller Foundation, and Grow Detroit Young Talent.

“New Voices: Detroit is proud to continue this tradition by supporting and amplifying the voices of our youth,” Jones said.

 For more information and tickets, please visit mosaicdetroit.org