What is happening with City Lights!

Dear City Lights Friends and Family,

Welcome! This year we're bringing real returns by continuing to support our youth-- the most precious investment for the future.

City Lights Youth Theatre is proud to be performing on Liberty Island this 4th of July to celebrate the reopening of the crown of the Statue of Liberty! As part of the opening ceremonies, the City Lights kids will be singing “Huddled Masses” from the new musical, LIBERTY, joined by Sasha Allen (Hair) as Lady Liberty herself.  We will also be presenting excerpts from WITH NOTHING BUT A DREAM: Stories from Ellis Island, an original musical written by the students of City Lights’ The Origins Project and Musical Theatre Songwriting classes. The students will perform with Sasha Allen at 9:00 am.  Excerpts from WITH NOTHING BUT A DREAM will be presented at 11:00 am and 1:30 pm.

LIBERTY, a new musical of monumental proportions, is an upcoming Broadway show whose author, Dana Leslie Goldstein, is also The Origins Project playwright-in-residence helping the students to write the book and lyrics for their show.  The music for The Origins Project was written by City Lights teaching artist John Bronston.  For more information about visiting the Statue of Liberty please visit the National Parks Services website.

The Origins Project 2009 is under way! The Origins Project is a five-week research- and performance- intensive program held during the summer. This year The Origins Project will be returning to Ellis Island, to develop last year's material into a musical. Motivated students required, previous theatre experience optional. Registration is closed, but keep checking the website for information about the program.

Photo highlights from City Lights'2009 season (Play, Musical, Spring Perfomance Festival) will be available soon!

.Stay tuned for more details!

Core Program

The Core Program provides age-appropriate classes in acting, musical theatre and playwriting in an after-school and weekend workshop format.  Students perform in a season of productions produced in a variety of venues, including our on-site Studio Theatre.  City Lights guarantees that at least 50% of our students receive need-based financial aid through City Lights Scholarship Fund. 

In an effort to better impact the environment, City Lights is reducing its print consumption. The usual mailing brochure is now available here for viewing.

We are opening registration early, as of Monday July 7th. You are also able to fully register online!

Find out more about our Core Program at: Class Descriptions and Schedule

In-School Program

* Theatre-in-the-Classroom – an interdisciplinary approach to the arts, which connects our successful drama-immersion methodology to your curriculum. 

* Playwriting – solid literacy components within every residency. 

* Process-Based Sharing – culminations rich in the spirit of celebrating the journey students take with learning. 

* Site-Specific Design – residencies reflecting each individual school’s mission. 

* New York City’s Most Talented Teaching Artists – the extraordinary gifts our professional artists share with your students in the classroom today will be the same craft they deliver to an audience on a professional stage tonight.

Theatre, Poetry, Music and Dance – City Lights is City-Wide.
In-School Description