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Black Box Youth Playhouse awarded grant

By Ainsley Hall - For the Chronicle | Nov 11, 2022

Black Box Youth Playhouse actors rehearse in full costume, in preparation for this month’s “Rockin’ Robin” performances. Courtesy photo

SHEPHERDSTOWN – Black Box Youth Playhouse is now able to resume its regular programming, after receiving a grant from the Detlev and Mary Ellen Preissler Fund for the Arts, Music, Design and Nature through the Eastern West Virginia Community Organization.

Like many other theaters, Black Box Youth Playhouse has been struggling to remain open, since the COVID-19 Pandemic. With low performance attendance numbers and the inability to continue many of their programs, the theater struggled to get the money they needed to continue.

BBYP is one of the only nonprofit theater organizations in the Eastern Panhandle, helping kids experience the arts and discover what theater is all about.

“It means a lot for Black Box,” said Laura Bakin, managing artistic director. “We’ve had a hard time maintaining programming. It’s helped us get our normal programming up and running.”

One of the programs that has recently resumed, thanks to the grant funding, is BBYP’s 10-week workshops, in which kids can experience everything that goes into putting together a play. All registered participants will serve as a cast member or as part of the stage crew, depending on their preference. The end of the playhouse’s current workshop is concluding with eight performances of “Rockin’ Robin Hood,” running today through Nov. 20. Performances are open to the public. Tickets can be purchased at can be purchased at blackboxyouth.org.

“It’s really crucial to introduce and immerse kids in the arts,” Bakin said. “Mainstream education is getting farther and farther away from the arts. When there are funding issues, the arts are often the first thing they cut. The arts help teach kids see through someone else’s point of view. Through our different programs, children have the chance to be a part of the theater or even see it live.”

As a child, theater helped Bakin navigate through life’s challenges, discover that people in theater tend to be more accepting of others and learn a lot about teamwork.

“It also teaches you how to work with others,” Bakin said. “When we first moved here, I saw that there wasn’t a children’s theater so I decided to start one. We are kinda like a family here.”

Next year, BBYP hopes to put on more productions, including four workshops. It holds a radio show every year and plans to hold a performance-in-the-park event in the future.