Shared Voices — The Mainstage Company commissions and presents new works from a diverse group of artists, and performs the plays in a Cluster of short related works; as a season of thematically-linked full lengths; or as stand-alone premieres. Because the writers are diverse, so too are the characters they write, the actors we cast, and the audiences we attract.

Find Your Voice™ — The Teen After-School Training Program (open to any NYC teen), has been operating in NYC for over 20 years. It has changed the lives of hundreds of inner-city teens by introducing them to the power of their own voices, with an eye toward improving written and spoken literacy among learners who ranged from underachieving to gifted. Commissions have been received from Phoenix House, Children of Alcoholics, and three NYC museums. It offers a model that can be replicated in as little as three weeks.

Young Voices. The ‘Young Voices’ arm of Find Your Voice™ brings the same approach to improved reading, writing, speaking and listening skills to young learners (under 12), as it does to teens and pre-teens. The monologues and the Student Guide were adapted for this age group’s maturity and literacy levels, but the approach — and the results — are the same.

Guiding Voices — The Teacher Training Program , at the Department of Education’s invitation, trains teachers in our literacy-through-theatre methodology (almost 100 schools reached to date). Participants can earn graduate credit through Bank Street College, or new teacher credit through the NYC Department of Education.

Emerging Voices — The Company Classes (open to any graduate of the Training), furthers the skills of former teen and teacher Trainees who return for additional instruction. Alumni are trained to "give back", as Master Teachers.

Collected Voices — LecDems and Lectures provide Alumni plays (performed by Teen and Teacher Alums, as well as our Mainstage Artists) to inner-city schools and Colleges so that other teachers may benefit from their example and their art, and learn about the methodology.

Guided Voices — School Day Infusion Program provides schools with support and a template for bringing the Find Your Voice™ methodology in to their school-day, during either academic classes or their Advisory periods.

Find Your Voice™ Text — Published by Heinemann Press in 2004, the book is a distillation of our 20 year old Literacy-Through-Theatre methodology; and a practical guide for NYC teachers who are on the front line of the battle against illiteracy. Click the text cover for more information and reviews.

Find Your Voice — Documentary
Listening With Their Eyes is a full-length documentary film that captures the incredible transformations of 11 inner city teens who participate in a ten week Find Your Voice training. DVD available. Click on the photo for more information.

"Find Your Voice" on PBS, is a half-hour long segment of the acclaimed "In the Mix" series. The program features footage from the longer documentary film, and offers an overview of the methodology as well as a Teaching Guide for classroom application. Videos available. For more information visit www.inthemix.org and click the "TOPICS" link and then choose Find Your Voice in the drop down menu.

One Vision, Many Voices — This anthology will offer a unique collection of multicultural scenes and monologues for all ages, culled from original plays that were developed and produced through our methodology. (Available in 2008)

Find Your Voice™ Communication Coaching — NEW THIS YEAR, FYV Founder Gail Noppe-Brandon will be available for one-on-one coachings with people of all ages who struggle with writing blocks; fears of public speaking; ADD; speech impediments; second language interference, extreme shyness, and social discomforts. Email GNB@findyourvoice.us for an appointment. Click for Bio.

Find Your Voice™ National Summer Institute — An Intensive Experiential Training for select Teachers and Grad Students who have read the Book, and wish to become Master Teachers of the Methodology.

Awards: Recipient of the 1997 Otto Award for Innovative Theatre; the 2000 Anne Flagg Multi-Cultural Award; 2002 PASEsetter Award for After-School Education; 2003, 2004 & 2005 Carnegie Corporation of New York Award for ‘Excellence in the Field’; 2004 AATE Lin Wright Special Recognition Award

Members: Alliance of Resident Theatres/New York; American Alliance for Theatre & Education

While each arm functions independently —
together they make a star.

photo credit: Jerry Lacay