Supporting the Arts

AFYP Stages, Inc.
AFYP Stages, Inc. is a sister organization to the well-established A Class Act – Acting for Young People & Adults, Inc. (AFYP), which has provided professional-level acting training for our area’s youth and adults since 1997. AFYP's success paved the way for the creation of AFYP Stages, a company formed for the purpose of theater production: productions of new plays performed for young audiences by professional actors through a touring format, as well as productions of new plays featuring young actors, many of them advanced students from the AFYP program. The focus of the organization is to create entertaining, instructional (often safety-oriented) plays for children and families. AFYP Stages was founded by Mary Lechter (Artistic and Executive Director). All plays are written and directed by Lisa Nanni-Messegee (Resident Director & Playwright). Mary and Lisa are both adjunct faculty members of Mason’s Department of Theater. AFYP Stages' Vision is to lead in the creation of professional theater that enriches the lives of children, their families and the world around them. AFYP Stages' Mission is to create and present plays that educate audiences of all ages and stages on vital issues and to provide a professional stage for young actors to showcase their talents. About The Safety Series: Street Smart, The Adventures Of Polly Pedestrian: Polly learns important lessons about traffic, pedestrian and bicycle safety - in English and Spanish - from an unlikely friend: Ricardo, a cavalier raccoon. Puppetry, cool characters and a rockin' finale enhance this wise play which also touches on taking responsibility for one's own actions, the repercussions of stealing, and having compassion for others. Valuable fun. Ideal for Grades K – 5 - Approximately 30 minutes followed by Q & A. Sally Surfer And The Wild Wild Web: Sally loves the internet but soon learns that things online are not always as they seem! A cautionary tale written by a parent for children and their parents, Sally learns important rules about internet safety from friends and family. This fast-paced show includes puppetry and music! Ideal for Grades 4 – 6 - Approximately 40 minutes followed by Q & A. See www.nationaltheatre.org for additional details.

Poetry Contest and Mentoring Program
In conjunction with the Arlington Arts Center, and with support by the Arlington Community Foundation, Professor Rei Borroa in George Mason's department of Modern and Classical Languages has started the Poetry Contest and Mentoring program for poets-to-be: In Two Tongues/En dos lenguas. Three times a year writers from the Mid-Atlantic region compete for a spot to have their work critiqued by established poets of the region, participate in a public reading with those poets, and have their work published on the Arlington Arts Center's webpage, as well as in Mason's Hispanic Culture Review. Contact Rei Berroa at 703-993-1241.