“Each teen’s role is important in producing a Proud Theater performance. They are idea generators, writers, directors, and actors. We strive to create a youth theater troupe that is both inclusive and collaborative, while also maintaining a high artistic standard. These incredible young people never cease to amaze me with the power and authenticity of their resulting work.”
Brian Wild, Artistic Director for Proud Theater

The teens of Proud Theater collaboratively create all the plays and theatrical pieces themselves, with guidance from a team of prominent adult members of the Madison community including:

• Brian Wild -Artistic Director
• Callen Harty - Community Outreach Coordinator/Liaison
• Heather Renken - Stage Manager, Acting Coach
• Jen Poppy - Grants Writer
• Thomas Lund - Archivist

At each weekly gathering, the youth have numerous opportunities to reach out to each other and to adult mentors for support—a cornerstone of the group’s success. “For most of these youth, Proud Theater is one of the few places where they can openly explore the many parts of themselves and express their own truth,” says Sunshine Jones, a parent, respected LGBTQ community leader, family therapist and education director/facilitator of the group.

“Our community’s teens are challenged by homophobia, limiting constructs of gender role expression and expectations, and by the pressures of youth culture,” she adds. “As they struggle to integrate their many identities and be true to who they are inside, many of our youth feel these challenges especially strongly. And so we try to create a safe, supportive place for them here.”