Silver Lake Children's Theatre Group

The Silver Lake Children's Theatre Group (SCTG) - an incorporated 501(c) 3 organization - provides dramatic training and major productions for young people 7–18 years old.

Their self-described mission is to harness the power of the theater to develop critical thinking and self-confidence, as well as to engage the imagination. Their plays and programs are designed to encourage and nurture young talent while broadening their awareness of culture, politics, aesthetics and the human condition. The role of parents and the community is a vital element of the SCTG philosophy and program.

Described as "smart theater for children" by the Los Angeles Times, the SCTG continues to present productions which push the boundaries of traditional children's theater in terms of complex ideas, themes, characters and staging. Nearly all plays are original productions co-written by the students through its Writing Mentorship Program.

HISTORY

The Silver Lake Children's Theatre Group is the descendant of a theater company based at the Hollywood-Los Feliz Jewish Community Center (HLFJCC) in Silver Lake, California. The original company began in the mid-90's and produced one spring play a year, usually a well-known Broadway musical. Productions included Guys And Dolls, Fiddler On The Roof and The Music Man. Loanne Hamrin and Trish Boyer helmed the group in the late 90's, directly preceding the birth of the SCTG. Hamrin, a distinguished professional actress, brought her love of musicals and theatrical experience to her direction of the plays. Her good friend, Silver Lake architect Boyer, served as Assistant Director and together they choreographed and produced the plays. In the spring of 2000, their final production, Show Crazy was an original vehicle about "a-small-theater-company-who-could", which allowed Hamrin and Boyer to feature some of their favorite Broadway songs. Mark McCracken and Broderick Miller a local actor/comedian and a screenwriter respectively, co-authored the play.

Hamrin announced her retirement from the theatre group following Show Crazy and with no one to direct the plays, the program was in danger of shutting down. Miller, a member of the HLFJCC board, volunteered to helm the theatre group for no fee because his six-year-old daughter, Izzy, had such a great experience performing in Show Crazy.

The timing was serendipitous. Just a few weeks earlier, Miller had taken his young daughters to a performance of Babes In Toyland at the Alex Theatre in Glendale, California and he was appalled at how pandering the show was to its young audience. The thought crossed his mind, “if I ever ran a children’s theatre group, we would do smart shows.” So when the children’s theatre opportunity presented itself a few weeks later, he felt the call.

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