the Light Rail Plays is not always an easy experience. But it’s always worth it
The photo to the left is one of the best pieces of feedback we’ve ever gotten
In 2017, during one of our tech rehearsals, an accidental audience member saw one of the plays happening, then stayed to watch the rest. When he had to get off the train, he passed this note to one of our performers. It reads
“takes guts to do nifty shit”
he was right on. And that’s become a driving force behind this project. It takes guts to make the art we dream about. And that’s why we’ll keep doing it.
Some other Testimonials Over the Years
“yesterday I was getting on the light rail, and there was a troupe of performance art players doing the annual Rising Youth Theatre #LIGHTRAILPLAYS. remarkable! this was some of the most fun performance art I have ever seen! people on the train, engaging in strange, funny, remarkable and intriguing things you can imagine! and the people who just happened to get on the train unknowing were pretty well blown away. think about it - a light rail train car is a pretty small stage, especially when it's filled with people! thanks to the Rising Youth Theatre for doing something completely fun, healthy, unexpected and original. nicely played! peace”
- Comment left on our Facebook Page
“What a great way of empowering our Youth, giving them a venue to positively express their experience! (this is your bus driver from today).”
— Tempe bus driver
“Working on the Light Rail Plays has been an incredible experience in engaging our community through stories and characters appearing in an unexpected place. Working in an unpredictable environment has made me a more focused, adaptable performer, and I love seeing and hearing reactions from an audience that is only a few feet away!”
- Ensemble Member
“The lightrail plays and working with Rising Youth theatre totally changed the way I work with youth. The lightrail plays showed me how valuable collaboration is. We need to see youth as they are, leaders with innovation to improve the present. There are new ideas emerging and we would be foolish to ignore them. We cannot make things for youth without their presence and active participation.”
- Ensemble Member
“I love the meditation around the fact that in a split second, everything can change. So true. I was touched by the play about Borders & how one might see themselves from each side of a border. I also loved the acrobatic yoga piece about the fabric of time and multiple dimensions, seeing things from a different perspective. The live music really helped to set the tone.”
— Audience Member
“My kids LOVED it!!!! Usually they can’t sit and watch something for a long time, but they were completely engaged the whole time.”
— Audience Member
“I love the Light Rail Plays! It gets me out of my comfort zone as an artist, it makes you think fast and think differently and the performances honestly just feel like magic.”
— Ensemble Member
“Delightfully surprising and poignant performances that encompass the environment and the people observing the work.”
— Audience Member
“A busy, noisy outdoor train as the performance place for this production was the most fun, thoughtful and challenging experience. Everyone willing to put in the extra work and create thoughtful beautiful plays about our city was the most wonderful theater experience for me.”
— Ensemble Member
““I loved the use of the spaces, the way the pieces flowed together, the live music. It was a totally magical experience!”
— Audience Member
