Bellevue Youth Theatre celebrates alumni this weekend

Bellevue Youth Theatre is celebrating its family of actors — past, present, and future — at its Growing Up BYT 2018 Benefit this Friday and Saturday, Sept. 21 and 22.

Bellevue Youth Theatre Director James McClain said that the benefit — which is put on by the Bellevue Youth Theatre Foundation and includes appetizers, a raffle, a live auction, and a show — brings attention to all of the alumni who have grown up in the Bellevue Youth Theatre. “Graduates” will speak about what the program has meant to them and will perform six musical numbers.

“We wanted to highlight those kids who have grown up and come back,” McClain said to KIRO Radio’s Dori Monson.

The community theatre program serves over 1,000 kids per year with a 100-percent audition rate, meaning everyone who auditions receives a role. Ages of the actors in shows range from 3 or 4 to 80, McClain said — plenty of parents and grandparents enjoy acting with their young family members.

“We work on youth development and overall creating better kids through a free program offered here in Bellevue,” he said.

This fall’s BYT lineup includes “Snow White,” “Wendy and Peter: Into Neverland,” “Elf the Musical, Jr.,” and “Clara and the Nutcracker.” Past shows include thespian favorites such as “Beauty and the Beast,” “Guys and Dolls,” “Oklahoma!,” and Shakespeare’s “As You Like It.”

The City of Bellevue funds the Bellevue Youth Theatre, though the Bellevue Youth Theatre Foundation provides critical funding for expenditures such as artists and theatre supplies.

Having access to drama programs is important for kids because acting builds lifelong character traits like confidence and empathy, as well as skills that come in handy in the workplace later on, McClain said.

“They’re going to be in those board rooms, and they need to present themselves, and they need to be able to get in front of a group of people,” he said. “You watch these young men and women and they just grow into these dynamic speakers — it’s really amazing to watch.”

For some, this means a career in the world of drama — some former actors have come back to work for the Bellevue Youth Theatre, and one former BYT’er is a Hollywood producer who has worked on hits such as “Mad Men.”

For every Bellevue Youth Theatre actor, however, being part of the organization means gaining a family of creative individuals with a common passion for the stage — and McClain feels lucky to work with each and every member.

“We can’t underestimate the power of theatre,” he said.

The benefit will be held at 7 p.m. on both Friday and Saturday at the Bellevue Youth Theatre in Crossroads, located at 16051 NE 10th St., Bellevue. For tickets, email venki@bytfoundation.org.

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