CTFA’s Orlin Corey Medallion Awards - 2023
Engage □ Explore □ Empower
ANNOUNCING CTFA’s 2023 Orlin Corey Medallion Awards - Rising Youth Theatre and José Casas
Rising Youth Theatre - Phoenix, AZ
At Rising Youth Theatre, young people work in collaboration with professional adult artists to create socially relevant theatre that speaks to multiple generations. Their impact on community has been impressive. Their art engages audiences as it builds and connects historically marginalized groups. As such, they provide a national model for the creation of site specific new work and for youth leadership.
Rising Youth has consistently used theatre to position young people in advocacy spaces. Their work celebrates the importance of young voices and the pivotal role they play in creating theatre. Their commitment to intergenerational partnerships ensures that their art and advocacy reaches multiple communities and represents their attention to diversity, access, and equity.
This commitment is exemplified by Face to Face a dialogue project about the intersections of race, class, and age, created by Rising Youth Theatre, Teatro Bravo, and Twined, three Phoenix-based arts organizations.
During the pandemic Rising Youth, did not merely survive, it thrived. It solidified administrative and artistic structures and kept both youth and adult leadership employed and artistically engaged. In 2020 they presented a virtual keynote at the AATE virtual conference that invited participants to dig deep into a conversation about how racism and white supremacy shows up in our field, our institutions, our artistic work, and ourselves. MORE…
José Casas - Ann Arbor, MI
Among his many achievements: in 2018, José compiled Palabras del Cielo: An Exploration of Latina/o Theatre for Young Audiences published by Dramatic Publishing which was reviewed as a “stellar anthology of Latina/o TYA” noted in The Journal of American Drama and Theatre.
José was recently highlighted in American Theatre for initiating the TYA BIPOC Superhero Project. The initiative will give over 20 playwrights of color access to mainstream/regional TYA theaters through development and production of their work. This project is seen as the largest and most comprehensive commissioning initiative in recent TYA history.
José’s dedication to equity, diversity, inclusion, and representation is made manifest in every aspect of his artistry, advocacy and activism. He is truly a visionary helping our field move forward in exciting new ways. MORE…
Recipients of CTFA’S 2023 Orlin Corey Medallion, as well as the 2022 Medallion recipients, Mary Hall Surface and Honolulu Theatre for Youth, received their Awards at the TYA/USA National Festival and Conference - Awards Event, in Tempe, Arizona,
Friday May 12th, 2023.
Hy Hetherington, of HLP Integration, LLC, has given a Corporate Sponsorship to Childrens Theatre Foundation of America to support CTFA's 2022-23 Orlin Corey Medallion Award honoring.
The Corey Medallion Awards
Celebrating Artistry, Integrity, Innovation and Equity in Theatre for Youth
Named for former CTFA President Orlin Corey,
this award recognizes artists, educators, administrators, activists and others whose visionary works for youth embodies the core values of the Childrens Theatre Foundation of America.
The Childrens Theatre Foundation of America values: Children and Youth, The Art of Theatre, Excellence, Innovation, Diversity and Inclusion.
www.childrenstheatrefoundation.org (updated 2–16-2022)