Setting the Stage for Success
Paramount Arts Center Understands Importance the Performing Arts are for Youth Development
By: Sasha Bush
The Ashland Beacon
Theatre, with its ability to captivate, inspire and provoke thought, plays a vital role in helping to shape our youth into thriving adults. Beyond mere entertainment, engagement with the performing arts offers a great deal of benefits that contribute to the holistic growth and development of all those who experience it.
By participating in theatrical productions or attending performances, young people are being exposed to diverse narratives and perspectives, fostering empathy, understanding, and appreciation for the world around them. Through the exploration of different characters and scenarios, our children can develop their capacity for empathy, learn to see the world through the eyes of others and recognize the shared humanity that binds us all together. Oscar Wilde said it best, “I regard the theatre as the greatest of all art forms, the most immediate way in which a human being can share with another the sense of what it is to be a human being.”
Being involved in theatre provides the perfect opportunity for kids to express themselves and explore their love of acting, singing, dancing and other performing arts. Introducing your kids to theatre can also be an important step in your child’s overall development, as well as an enriching way for children to become part of an amazing community.
From acting and directing to set design and costume creation, every aspect of theatre production offers opportunities for personal growth and skill development. Whether onstage or behind the scenes, participation in theatrical productions encourages creativity, problem-solving and collaboration, as individuals work together to bring a shared vision to life.
Stepping onto a stage in front of an audience requires courage and vulnerability, as performers expose themselves to the possible scrutiny of others and risk failure. Through this process, our children are able to learn resilience, perseverance, and the importance of taking pride in their accomplishments, no matter how small, all aid them in all aspects of life both onstage and off the stage.
No one understands just how big of an impact that the performing arts can have on our children better than the Paramount Arts Center’s (PAC) Paramount Players. Led by Artistic Director Rick Payne and Education Director Matt Hammond, the Paramount Players help to create a safe and artistic environment for local artists to thrive. From standing center stage to building sets, PAC’s Paramount Players help create both a phenomenal, professional quality show and a creative working environment for people of all ages.
PAC is no stranger to producing high caliber shows with high caliber talent. Join the Paramount Players April 19 and 20 at the iconic Paramount Arts Center for their highly anticipated performance of The Little Mermaid. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., and the show starts at 7:30 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online at paramountartscenter.com or at the box office during regular business hours. Artistic Director Rick Payne shared, “This show is going to be AMAZING!”
