Theatre for Young Audiences

The mission of UTRGV Theatre for Young Audiences (TYA) is to create high quality productions, events and community outreach regarding all aspects of TYA. The UTRGV TYA program believes that audiences of all ages can appreciate, be inspired by, and learn through exposure to theatre arts.   

UTRGV TYA produces a 1 to 3 performance season per year. The TYA program seeks to produce original and culturally significant plays above all. We seek to serve as a voice for diverse opinions in our season. Additionally, UTRGV TYA supports UTRGV’s Latino Theatre Initiative in its goal of offering children’s theatre in Spanish for elementary-age children in the Rio Grande Valley and beyond.

UTRGV TYA understands the importance of training future theatre directors and educators, so we strive to provide UTRGV senior students with opportunities to direct, design, and perform in our TYA season. The 3-week summer drama camp STRIVE was created in part to help provide these opportunities.   

The UTRGV Theatre Department, which incorporates UTRGV TYA, is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Theatre.

The spirit of children is an unstoppable force.  We here at UTRGV's Theatre for Young Audiences are dedicated to bring exciting and inspiring theatre events to the children and families of the
Rio Grande Valley.

Please come and see us!  We welcome you at the plays and events!

-Brian Warren

Facets of the TYA (Theatre for Young Audiences) program at UTRGV founded by Dr. Brian Warren

UTRGV Theatre for Young Audiences (TYA) offers many opportunities for adult theatre artists working with TYA and children attending performances. 

The Children’s Theatre Workshop (CTW) is a course founded in 2003. This program of student performers takes theatre “on the road” to local elementary or middle schools, connecting children to theatre and to UTRGV.

Children’s Theatre Theory and Practice (CTT) is a course taught in the spring of even-numbered years.  Part of the work in this course is preparing students to cast, rehearse and otherwise prepare a children’s play for UTRGV performance in May. 

South Texas Remarkably Inventive Vaquero Ensemble (S.T.R.I.V.E) was founded in June of 2010 PACT, now renamed STRIVE in 2023.  STRIVE is a three-week summer camp for children ages 7 through 14.  Camp sessions run three or four hours per day.   The mission of STRIVE is to build and perpetuate children’s theatre in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas by providing theatre training for children in at least twelve different teaching areas, as follows:  improvisation and imagination, language and communication, creative problem solving, mental concentration and memorization, vocal articulation and projection, movement skills, emotional expression, acting in an ensemble, and technical theatre training. 

UTRGV TYA Performances for the public are offered regularly, usually in December, May, and/or July.  The program performs plays and musicals for young audiences. 

UTRGV Theatre for Young Audiences is dedicated to connecting to children through theatre and thereby promoting awareness and knowledge of the human condition and human cultures, especially in relation to behaviors, ideas, and values expressed in works of human imagination and thought.  In partnership with UTRGV’s Latino Theatre Initiative, UTRGV TYA also offers Spanish-language TYA for elementary school children.  

The UTRGV Theatre Department, which incorporates UTRGV Theatre for Young Audiences, is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Theatre.

The UTPA/UTRGV Theatre for Young Audiences (TYA) Program (founded by Dr. Brian J. Warren).

The TYA program at UTRGV has been going strong since 2002!

Note: PACT = Originally, Pan American Creative Theatre Summer Camp for Youth (name changed in 2023 to South Texas Remarkably Inventive Vaquero Ensemble (S.T.R.I.V.E)

TVY = Theatre for Very Young Audiences (infant to age 5)