Muncie Civic Theatre

Ball State University theatre education majors have a chance to bring their curriculum to life through the education program at Muncie Civic Theatre. This program offers young children and teens year-round opportunities to participate in the theatre.

In 2012, the program split into two age groups, kindergarten to 5th grade and 6th grade to 12th grade, with each group doing three productions per season. The kids rehearse every Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for several weeks to produce musicals during the year. In the summer, they meet every day for two weeks straight to produce an original play.

“They are learning anything from character development, basic stage directions, theatre games and exercises, singing and dancing, you name it,” said Tracena Marie, therapeutic arts and education director at Muncie Civic Theatre

She joined the theatre two years ago after encouragement from friend and current executive director, Laura Williamson. Marie leads the education program, but she encourages the student directors to take complete artistic control.

“They really have to take charge,” Marie said. “It’s a great learning experience throughout the process.”

Katie Morario, a double major in theatre education and English education with a creative writing minor, has been volunteering at the theatre for three years. She first volunteered as a requirement for class, but fell in love with the program and the kids. Earlier this year, she did a Ted Talk at Ball State where she discussed the program and the importance of validating youth.

In her three years, she has dipped her toes into a little bit of everything from set design to lighting design to directing. Morario will be volunteering at her 10th youth production this summer.

“I think [volunteering is] especially important in the youth program because kids and teenagers are people who are almost always getting overlooked in our world,” she said. “This is a way to show a kid that he or she matters, that they’re worth spending the day with.”