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LORRAINE KIMSA THEATRE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE (formerly Young Peoples Theatre) is the largest Theatre for Young Audiences (TYA) company in Canada and a significant institution in the Canadian professional theatre community. Over our 43-year history we have produced many of the most important works that now form the canon of plays for young audiences in this country. Learning is at the centre of everything we do and LKTYP is renowned as the showplace for presenting important TYA work developed elsewhere. In addition to being a producer and presenter of theatre, LKTYP has also been home to a year-round Drama School for youth since 1969.  At the centre of LKTYP’s artistic policy is a desire to have a positive and lasting impact on the emotional, social, and intellectual development of young people in order for them to grow into the unique and wonderful people they were born to be. At LKTYP we also believe that the more challenging, the more hostile, the more ‘isolated within-the-crowd’ our world becomes, the more we need art to help us interpret the universe, connect with each other, and imagine a better future. If adults need this, kids need it more.

History

In the fall of 1966, renowned theatre critic Nathan Cohen reported, "Susan Douglas Rubes has formed a new venture, Young Peoples Theatre. Her first production, aimed at the 3-to-7 set, is The Looking Glass Revue to be presented weekends at the Colonnade Theatre". Other productions soon followed, including school tours of plays by Ionesco and Chekhov, weekday school performances and classroom visits by performers.

From the very beginning, Young Peoples Theatre (YPT), now known as Lorraine Kimsa Theatre for Young People (LKTYP), established its dedication to professional productions of the highest quality – classic or contemporary – from Canada and around the world, written just for children and their families.

From the beginning, founder and producer Susan Rubes worked hard to develop new Canadian plays to stand alongside the best from around the world. Now in its 43rd year, Toronto's oldest not-for-profit theatre continues to experience tremendous growth and continues to develop innovative productions LKTYP’s shows respond directly to the needs and interests of several generations of young people.

Following a successful beginning in 1966, YPT became a well-established part of a vibrant Toronto theatre community by the mid-seventies. For its 1974-1975 Season, YPT produced plays at the St. Lawrence Centre, the Ontario Science Centre, and the Firehall Theatre in Toronto. In addition, the company had five plays touring in schools throughout the province, including one in French; a touring production of Inook and the Sun in the UK; co-produced plays with Theatre-in-the-Dell and Toronto Arts Productions; and sponsored special high school performances of plays produced by Toronto Workshop Productions. A 1975 article reported: "[Susan Rubes'] first challenge was to convince Toronto theatre folk that children's theatre was respectable. 'They all thought that kids' theatre was what you did if you were unable to do anything else. They were timid.' She managed to overcome that, and LKTYP continues to attract the best Canadian actors, directors and designers for its productions."

YPT opened its first production in its own building on December 22, 1977 – an adaptation of Laterna Magika's The Lost Fairy Tale. This new, permanent home located at 165 Front Street East once housed the horses that pulled the Toronto Street Railway Company's streetcars in the late 19th century. When the horses were retired in favour of electric power in 1891, the building became an electrical generating plant until 1906 when the company began purchasing power from Niagara Falls. In later years, the Toronto Transit Commission used the building as a warehouse before leaving it to sit empty and marked for demolition.

In 1977, Zeidler Partnership Architects renovated the existing building and the interior space was converted into a main theatre and a smaller studio space. The Toronto Historical Board awarded YPT the Award of Merit for its imaginative and sympathetic treatment of a landmark that might otherwise have been destroyed. The building's industrial past can sometimes provide an interesting context for plays, as with Julia Tribe's set design for Oliver Twist (1996-97), which evoked Victorian times and the Industrial Revolution. Over the years, the St. Lawrence development grew up around the new theatre, and the theatre found itself in the heart of a distinctive and vibrant family neighbourhood.

In 1979-1980, Ms. Rubes moved to CBC Television and Richard Ouzounian took over as Artistic Director for one season. In 1980-1981, Peter Moss moved to YPT from the Stratford Festival for his first of eleven seasons as Artistic Director. Mr. Moss was responsible for further renovating the building to accommodate a growing audience of families and schools: the seating in the Mainstage was increased from 300 to 468, a new sound system was installed (including a system for the hearing-impaired), and administrative, box office and backstage facilities were expanded.

As the Greater Toronto Area continued to grow during the 1980s, so did YPT. Well-established in its own performance space, the theatre was able to accommodate growing audiences and focus on high production values and artistic standards. In 1987, The Canadian Forum commented on YPT's "vigour, energy and freshness."

The 1991-1992 Season saw Maja Ardal take over as Artistic Director. A well-known stage and television actress, she brought with her several seasons of involvement with YPT as actor, director, and Associate Artistic Director. Ms. Ardal continued YPT's strong commitment to the development of new Canadian plays, and introduced regular and ongoing new play workshops. Her other innovations included the WordPlay Festival play writing competition for teenagers, and the formation of an active Community Advisory Group. The renowned Drama School, in operation since the early 1970s, expanded from its downtown base into North York, to better serve the Greater Toronto Area.

In a submission to the Royal Commission on Learning, Associate Artistic Director Sally Han wrote, "we deeply respect our audiences and we make high demands of them. Our plays value the emotional and intellectual life of children, and we seek to further their understanding of the world experientially."  As The Toronto Star noted, "It's no secret that YPT allows Toronto kids to see works of equal or even superior quality to those attended by their parents."

In the spring of 2001, Artistic Director Pierre Tetrault , Managing Director Nancy Coy, and the Board of Directors announced that YPT was the recipient of a generous gift of $1.5 million, secured with the assistance of Arts and Communications. The donation was a gift from Mr. Kevin Kimsa in honour of his mother, Mrs. Lorraine Kimsa for her lifelong dedication to community theatre. In acknowledgement of this gift, YPT was renamed LORRAINE KIMSA THEATRE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE. "Theatre should be a part of every child's life," said Dan Coholan, past Chairman of the Board of Directors. "It is particularly appropriate that a son has chosen to give this extraordinary gift to his mother."

Awards

Since its inception, YPT has won critical acclaim, including 28 Dora Mavor Moore Awards and 13 Chalmers Children's Awards for directing, acting, playwriting, and outstanding productions. The company was also awarded the Lieutenant Governor’s Award for the Arts in 1996.

Drama School

Since 1969, Lorraine Kimsa Theatre for Young People's vibrant Drama School has been offering stimulating classes for ages 5 to 18. Fall, Winter, Spring and Summer Sessions provide students with a unique opportunity to participate in the excitement of the theatrical process. A wide variety of classes are designed to foster confidence in young people, allowing them to practice important social skills such as conflict resoloution and empathy, while making friends and feeling good about themselves. Three convenient locations:

• Downtown Toronto

• North York

• Etobicoke

Volunteer

Volunteer at LKTYP (formerly Young Peoples Theatre) Canada’s largest theatre for young audiences.
Do you have a passion for the theatre?
Are you interested in meeting new people?
Do you like working with children?
Are you a teen or a senior?
Would you like to be engaged in meaningful participation?
Are you a newcomer?
Would you like to practice your new English skills?
Do you need local references?

Opportunities to participate are available in all areas of the theatre:
Front of House
Marketing
Production
Administration
Drama School
Development

You’ll be provided with training, incentives and an environment based on leadership and inspiration.


For more information on show tickets, Drama School registration or volunteer opportunities, please call 416 862-2222.