Inspired by London’s Spirit Young Performers Company, Main Stage Young Performers Company was created to elevate performance opportunities for youth in our rural Humboldt community, while also connecting young artists through the shared experience of live performance. The company performs in a variety of settings throughout the year from full scale musical productions to community events and performance based projects.
Based on Goodspeed Opera's Kids Company model, Young Performers Company members train with many of the Main Stage guest artists they perform alongside as well as other arts professionals from all over the United States via online workshops. "The greatest gifts we can give our children are the roots of responsibility and the wings of independence".
"The greatest gifts we can give our children are the roots of responsibility and the wings of independence". -Maria Montessori
The Young Performers Company is a Montessori influenced arts program and students are given as many hands on experiences as possible, both as performers as well as with the technical and business aspects of the arts. Students are supported in the study and facilitation of as many facets of musical theatre production as they're interested in, from stage management to dramaturgy!
Young Performers Company is by invitation only. Students from the Young Performers Ensemble program are selected to join the company in August each year. Typically students need to complete at least 1 year in the Ensemble program before they are considered for YPC.
YOUTH ARTS EDUCATION
Sylvia Tout (Gretl, The Sound of Music 2024)
Photo by Krista Curry Photography
Let's Start At Very Beginning.....
From the very beginning, young people have been at the center of Main Stage's mission and vision. Inspired by London's Spirit Young Performers Company, Main Stage first started as a pilot project under the Ink People Center for the Arts when seven local youth premiered selections from British composer Ethan Lewis Matlby's new musical Ada Lovelace at the Morris Graves Museum of Art in 2014. The very first Main Stage production, The Sound of Music was produced that following summer to give youth artists the opportunity to be a part of full scale production in our rural area. Main Stage Young Performers Company was born!
Over the past the decade the Main Stage Young Performers Company has grown tremendously, now producing two youth productions at the Arkley Center annually, in addition to events in the community and beyond. Serious students have the opportunity to train online with arts professionals from all the country, as well as appear in the company's professional productions alongside adult actors.
Beyond Humboldt
We've always believed that young people in our rural area were capable of achieving great things and our students have done just that! Notable performances include the Triad Theatre (NYC), Radio City Music Hall (NYC-Spotlight Kidz). Several of our students are represented professionally by agents and managers in New York (Take 3 Talent, Bercy Talent) and have appeared in Broadway National Touring productions (North American Tour of The Sound of Music).
“Children acquire knowledge through experience in the environment.”-1946 London Lectures
The Young Performers Company is a Montessori influenced arts program. Whether they're pursuing the arts as hobby or a professional career, students are given as many hands on experiences as possible, both as performers as well as in the technical and business aspects of theatre Students are supported in the study and facilitation of as many facets of the arts as they're interested in, from stage management to dramaturgy.
SUMMER & FALL 2026
Fall Classes: Young Performers Ensemble class registration is now open for Fall 2026, space is limited! Classes are offered Mondays and Thursdays with cohorts for Grades 1-3 and Grades 4-6. Ensemble students will perform in The Little Mermaid Jr. in November. REGISTER.
*Monday Grades 1-3 class is now full.
Summer Classes: Open summer classes for Grades 1-6 run July 27th-August 7th. Students will learn music and choreography from The Aristocats KIDS culminating in a workshop performance at the Morris Graves Museum. REGISTER
Young Performers Company Auditions 2026/2027
Grades 6-6, Middle School/High School. Auditions for the 2026/2027 Young Performers Company were held on May 20th & 21st. Program placement will be sent by the end of May. Please note: This program is at capacity and we do not have the ability hold make up auditions.
From Humboldt stages to Broadway National Tours, Main Stage Young Performers Company has appeared in a wide variety of performance projects since our beginnings in 2014. YPC Students appear annually in Young Performers productions, community events, and in Main Stage productions alongside professional performers, including visiting artists from Broadway National touring productions.
Highlights from our Young Performers Company journey over the last 10 years!
