Posted: 11/27/02

YPA plans holiday production

Jessica Foster
Staff Writer

Youth Performing Artsí latest Christmas production, ìOne Lightî is a musical extravaganza which takes the audience into another world. A world of secular music (i.e. Billy Joelís ìWe Didnít Start the Fireî) morphed into holiday tunes, of light and darkness and the true meaning of the holiday season.

Written and directed by Susan Swanson Novak, the gift of ìOne Lightî will be presented to the community Dec. 5-8 at Forest Hills United Methodist Church.

ìOne Lightî will be presented at 7 p.m. Dec. 5-6, 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Dec. 7 and 2 p.m. Dec. 8.

The production is the brainchild of Novak and others involved with YPA. While working out, the women brainstormed about ideas and light became the theme.

Last year, in the shadow of the September 11 tragedy, was a dark Christmas. While war is on and the economy is struggling, Novak said she and organizers thought light was an appropriate theme this year.

ìLast year was such a dark Christmas we wanted to keep it bright,î she said. ìEvery song has to do with light.î

The production, sponsored by the Hallberg Family Foundation, opens amidst the holiday hustle and bustle known to all of usóthe pressure to have the most festive display, the shopping, the obligations.

The second act of ìOne Lightî is more serious, and hits to the reason of the Christmas season.

Not so much a play as a musical production with a message, ìOne Lightî has a light hearted spirit in telling the story at the heart of it all.

This Christmas production features several new faces, though director Susan Novak said the talent level is no less.

The 70 youth, age seventh grade through college have been working on the show since October.

History

YPA was started in the summer of 1999 at Forest Hills United Methodist Church. It was a group of 16 youthómostly friends of the Novakís children. In 1999 the Christmas show drew 29 performers. In 2000, that number doubled. Last year, about 70 teens pitched in their efforts for ìWe Can Build a Beautiful City.î

This yearís group retains about the same numbers though there are many new faces to replace those who have moved on.

YPA is a faith-based, cross-denominational youth performance group.

ìI expect this yearís show to not skip a beat,î Novak said. ìThe talent keeps coming and the program keeps growing.î

The youth hail from 13 area churches from Forest Lake, Marine on St. Croix, Ham Lake, Lino Lakes, Wyoming, Stacy, Lexington, Hugo and Chisago City.

In addition to holiday shows, YPA has offered summer performances including ìJoseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,î ìGodspell,î and ìTwo by Two.î

YPA also have performed the Yellow Ribbon Suicide Prevention Program to area students.

Leadership

In addition to more performers, YPA has grown in terms of adult leadership.

A handful of adults help to bring the shows to life. In addition to Novak, Maurya Laqua serves as musical director, Roxanne Johnson is assistant director, Jo Lee and Steve and Lynn Ruter serve as production assistants. Other adults on the board and who pitch in for various needs include Kathy Bystrom, Jeanette Hahn, Lori Brink and Sue Nickolson. Other parents pitch in as needed. YPA members Kesiah Kolbow and Matt Haider are youth board members.

There also is advancement within YPA. Vanessa Novak and Jessica Johnson, original members of YPA who now attend college have stepped into the roles of mentors for the cast. While Novak and Johnson still perform, they now have more of a leadership role.

ìIt seemed like a really natural transition,î Johnson said.

Susan Novak agrees. While she said she doesnít plan on leaving the reigns of YPA, she said it is nice to know others and growing up to take a show if they needed to.

ìItís fun to see them grow,î she said. ìIt sure would be nice to know if I couldnít do it, someone else could. Itís a cool learning tool.î

She added the young adults serve as mentors for the newest YPA performers. Junior high students, it seems, think it is pretty cool to hang out with college students.

YPA is something Jessica Johnson said she and others like to remain connected to.

ìItís become a part of who we are, it really is,î she said. ìThe first of us have remained really close friends. We make a point to get together.í

Kellie Brandt, another former YPA youth, is arranging choreography for the production.

Jessica Johnson said this is a show the public will enjoy.

ìItís going to be a really phenomenal show,î she said. ìItís a new group of kids with a lot of talents matched with a lot of people who have a lot of years of experience.î

Partnership

Organizers of YPA say the shows would not be possible without the assistance of Forest Hills.

The church and the youth group have become part of each other, Jessica Johnson said.

The group puts up sets and the church works the Sunday services around them. The partnership has worked well, organizers say.

ìTheyíve become a part of us and weíve become a part of them,î Jessica Johnson said.

Roxanne Johnson agreed.

ìForest Hills lets us take over this church every Sunday night,î she said. ìItís just been great.î

Website

YPA now has a website. For more information on the youth group, ticket information and show times, visit www.youthperformingarts.org on the World Wide Web.

Tickets

General admission tickets to ìOne Lightî are available by calling Roxanne Johnson at 651-433-3085. Seating is first come first serve. There is no ticket price but a freewill offering will be taken.

Top of Page