TEEN MENTORSHIPS
Guiding youth drawn to careers in the theatre arts
Welcome to Our Teen Mentorship Program
Ages 16-19
Our Teen Mentorship Program is designed for youth ages 16-19 who are interested in exploring careers in the theatre arts beyond acting, by partnering with mentors who are working theatrical professionals.
The first opportunity in the theatre that most young people see is on stage as an actor – whether they are in a show or see a show. The reality though is that most jobs in the theatre are not on stage, but in the directing, designing, writing, composing, choreographing, fundraising, and marketing of a show. Our Teen Mentorship Program was created to help youth discover and traverse these career paths.
To be considered for participation in a mentorship opportunity students need to apply through our online application process. Each selected participant receives a $400.00 STIPEND at the end of their mentorship.
OUR PROGRAM HAS TWO MENTORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
THE APPLICATION DEADLINE FOR 2022/23 HAS PASSED.
Thank you to everyone who applied!
Applicants will hear from us in Mid to late May to schedule an interview.
Check back in May 2023 for details on our 2023/24 season mentorships.
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2021-2022 Emerging BIPOC Designers Mentorship Bios
In alphabetical order
Layla Cavin
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Layla Cavin was introduced to theatrical design this past fall through her drama club at Henry High School in Minneapolis. They were central to the creation and construction of the set design for the school’s production of The Night of the Living Dead. She is currently working in a similar capacity on their upcoming production of Clue. They love having creative freedom, and bringing big ideas to life. Currently a sophomore in high school, Layla dreams of attending law school in her future. For now, they are excited to learn more about set design and the technical side of theater.
Enzo La Hoz Calassara
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is a junior at Anoka High School, who is interested in going on to study music theory and composition, and psychology after graduation (hopefully out of state!!). He has been involved in numerous theatrical productions at his school and around the metro area, performing at the History Theatre, Macalester College, Children’s Theatre Company, as well as with Project Opera for the Minnesota Opera. He and his friends have started a band - Wonderlust (@WONDERLUST_MN). They hope to release their first EP by the end of the school year. He’s looking forward to combining his love of music with his passion for theater in this program. Being of Peruvian-Brazilian descent - his mom is from Lima, and dad is from Rio de Janeiro - he is very grateful for the perspective that they offer him, and is proud to be able to represent his culture. He would like to thank them for their never-ending support in all his crazy endeavors.
Talleia McHaney has been making art since she was 12 years old, which she plans on translating into a freelance career so she can make money doing what she loves!! In high school she has been deeply involved with the Black Box Theater program at Washburn High School, helping to create and perform their shows around the Twin Cities Metro Area. She is excited to learn more about how a professional artist organizes and networks through this program, and hopes to translate those skills into her career.
Sadie Nelson is a long time Stages Theatre Company student, who has performed in numerous shows here, including Hidden Heroes: The Black Women of NASA, Iron-Hearted Violet, The Hobbit, and James and the Giant Peach, TYA among others. She has also worked backstage for You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown, and Elf, Jr. She has scripted an original show for Spring Dance and Theatre Company called Colors Enchanted, performing this coming Memorial Day weekend. She loves seeing the different ways a story can be told, whether through a director’s particular interpretation of a script or an actor’s specific choice for a character, or the detail choices made by the design team. Sadie plans to major in theatre college.
Haley Nielsen loves the creativity and energy everyone in theater contributes to bringing a story to life. They have been a part of that themselves both onstage and off in various productions at St. Louis Park Middle and High Schools, including serving on costuming crew for the high school’s production of Anne of Green Gables. It is in costuming that she has found her greatest passion, and hopes to pursue that in college and professionally. They are excited to learn more about the professional process for a costumer through this mentorship. Also an avid singer, Haley has a varsity letter in choir for her school.
Tiahna Wolfe-Shields - A junior at PiM Arts High School, Tiahna Wolfe-Shields was most recently in an original production there titled Primer. The song “Colorblind” for that show has been recorded, and is available on streaming services. Look it up! She has also participated in shows with Stages Theatre Company, Youth Performance Company, and Fair School Crystal. Her summer project this year will be with Purple Playground attending the Academy of Prince. Tiahna loves meeting new people, broadening her knowledge-base, and working together with others to create a great experience for the audience.
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Talleia McHaney has been making art since she was 12 years old, which she plans on translating into a freelance career so she can make money doing what she loves!! In high school she has been deeply involved with the Black Box Theater program at Washburn High School, helping to create and perform their shows around the Twin Cities Metro Area. She is excited to learn more about how a professional artist organizes and networks through this program, and hopes to translate those skills into her career.
Sadie Nelson is a long time Stages Theatre Company student, who has performed in numerous shows here, including Hidden Heroes: The Black Women of NASA, Iron-Hearted Violet, The Hobbit, and James and the Giant Peach, TYA among others. She has also worked backstage for You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown, and Elf, Jr. She has scripted an original show for Spring Dance and Theatre Company called Colors Enchanted, performing this coming Memorial Day weekend. She loves seeing the different ways a story can be told, whether through a director’s particular interpretation of a script or an actor’s specific choice for a character, or the detail choices made by the design team. Sadie plans to major in theatre college.
Haley Nielsen loves the creativity and energy everyone in theater contributes to bringing a story to life. They have been a part of that themselves both onstage and off in various productions at St. Louis Park Middle and High Schools, including serving on costuming crew for the high school’s production of Anne of Green Gables. It is in costuming that she has found her greatest passion, and hopes to pursue that in college and professionally. They are excited to learn more about the professional process for a costumer through this mentorship. Also an avid singer, Haley has a varsity letter in choir for her school.
Tiahna Wolfe-Shields - A junior at PiM Arts High School, Tiahna Wolfe-Shields was most recently in an original production there titled Primer. The song “Colorblind” for that show has been recorded, and is available on streaming services. Look it up! She has also participated in shows with Stages Theatre Company, Youth Performance Company, and Fair School Crystal. Her summer project this year will be with Purple Playground attending the Academy of Prince. Tiahna loves meeting new people, broadening her knowledge-base, and working together with others to create a great experience for the audience.
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Haley Nielsen loves the creativity and energy everyone in theater contributes to bringing a story to life. They have been a part of that themselves both onstage and off in various productions at St. Louis Park Middle and High Schools, including serving on costuming crew for the high school’s production of Anne of Green Gables. It is in costuming that she has found her greatest passion, and hopes to pursue that in college and professionally. They are excited to learn more about the professional process for a costumer through this mentorship. Also an avid singer, Haley has a varsity letter in choir for her school.
Tiahna Wolfe-Shields - A junior at PiM Arts High School, Tiahna Wolfe-Shields was most recently in an original production there titled Primer. The song “Colorblind” for that show has been recorded, and is available on streaming services. Look it up! She has also participated in shows with Stages Theatre Company, Youth Performance Company, and Fair School Crystal. Her summer project this year will be with Purple Playground attending the Academy of Prince. Tiahna loves meeting new people, broadening her knowledge-base, and working together with others to create a great experience for the audience.
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2021-2022 First Job in the Arts Mentorship Bios
In alphabetical order
JOHN CLIFTON
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John is a senior at Patrick Henry High School in Minneapolis and has been doing theatre with his high school drama club. He most recently played Chief McClelland in his school’s production of Night of the Living Dead Live. He likes that theatre challenges him to be outside his comfort zone in a healthy way. During his mentorship he looks forward to experiencing the side of theatre that is not on stage, including directing, writing and technical theatre.
SAYER KEELEY
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Sayer is a senior at Saint Paul Conservatory for Performing Arts and plans to attend Hamline University in the fall. He has acted in sixteen shows at Stages Theatre Company and is excited to explore behind the scenes roles in creating theatre. He is interested in writing and directing. He would like to continue to write and create theatre for years to come. He wants to thank Stages for being his second family and for all the support his friends and family have given him over the years.
JORDAN KIPP
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Jordan is a senior at Blaine High School and loves theatre for all the talented people they get to meet and work with on cool projects. Jordan has been props master on several productions at their high school. During their mentorship they are focusing on props design but also the backstage side of theatre. They are most excited to learn what theatre is like in a professional environment. They plan to attend Miami University in the fall majoring in Zoology and minoring in theatre.
KEATON MAILE
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Keaton is a senior at Washburn High School and plans to study directing at Columbia College in Chicago after graduation. Her emphasis for her mentorship is in directing. She also has an interest in creative writing. Her favorite thing about theatre is the moment before the curtain goes up and all the possibilities that can come out of the silence. She has been involved in theatre for many years, including writing, directing, and acting in social justice scenes in the Black Box Theatre at her high school.
NAFKOT MAKONNEN
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Nafkot is a junior at Patrick Henry High School in Minneapolis where he participates in the Drama Club. He is also on the wrestling team. He likes the process of putting on a show and working with others to achieve a specific goal. He is looking forward to participating in the mentorship progroam in directing and writing and wants to learn more about the process of creating theatre. Naf plans to study film making in college and wants to thank his mother and father for always supporting him.
AILEE MOQUIST
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Ailee is in the TASSEL Transition Program in Eden Prairie after graduating from high school in 2021. She is interested in all things theatre but is concentrating on stage management and playwriting for her mentorship. She loves the whole process of creating something from nothing. She has been involved in creating theatre both on stage and backstage since her first show in 7th grade. She plans to attend Northwestern College in Iowa in the fall and study theatre and is currently writing a play she hopes to submit to the Fringe Festival.
MADELYN TAX
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Maddy is a senior at Watertown-Mayer High School and plans to attend University of Minnesota Twin Cities for a degree in theatre arts. As a performer she appeared in STC’s You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown and Tuck Everlasting, and countless productions through Watertown-Mayer High School, Watertown Summer Youth Theater, and River City Theatre Company. With her mentorship she is focusing on choreography, directing, and youth education. She looks forward to continuing to grow as an artist and make new connections at Stages and beyond!
AVERY WESTON
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Avery is very excited to be a stage management mentee at Stages Theatre Company! She is a senior at Park High School in Cottage Grove and has been involved in twelve productions at Park High School and two at Ashland Productions in Maplewood. Past stage management and ASM credits at Park include, Begets: Fall of a High School Ronin, This Untoward Generation! The Theory of Relativity, Dog Sees God, The Diviners, Don’t Drink the Water, and Little Shop of Horrors. Next year, she will be attending the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse to study stage management. Avery would like to give special thanks to her directors, family, and friends for always supporting her and encouraging her along the way.
CORDELIA WOLF
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Cordelia is a junior at Benilde-St. Margaret’s in St. Louis Park. She is interested in many facets of theatre and is concentrating on technical theatre for her mentorship including lighting, sound, and set design. She is also interested in stage management and marketing. She is looking forward to learning about all the backstage aspects of the professional theatre during her mentorship.
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Emerging BIPOC Designers Mentorship
APPLICATION DEADLINE: 5/23/2022
Stages Theatre Company’s Emerging BIPOC Designers Mentorship is specifically developed for young BIPOC like yourself who are drawn to a career in theatrical design (costuming, sets, props, sound, lighting, or multimedia design), giving you an opportunity to work in mentorship with a professional designer.
Throughout this program, you will work with your mentor as they develop their design for an actual production, giving you real world experience in the theatrical arts.
This mentorship, along with the other training provided by the program will serve as an early step into a design career for you. Completion of this mentorship will come with a PAID stipend of $400.
Emerging BIPOC Designers Gain the Opportunity To:
• One-on-one apprenticeship with a professional designer, collaborating on the design of a show with them.
• Receive professional training, preparing you to enter the design field of your choice.
• Get feedback and guidance from your mentor on a design for your school production.
Emerging BIPOC Designer Responsibilities Are:
• Working with your mentor to complete a series of design tasks that give you an overview of the theatrical design process. A schedule for this work will be developed with you, your mentor, and André Samples (Teen Program Manager). Expect to spend around 30 hours completing this work.
• Attending monthly cohort meetings on the second Saturday of each month September-May from 10:00-11:30.
• Serving in a design role in a production at your school or in your community during the course of the program.
• Participating in an end of year celebration on Sunday, May 21st, 2023 from 6:00pm – 8:00pm.
Who is Eligible?
BIPOC students ages 16-19 who are interested in exploring an area of theatrical design as a potential career. Self-transportation is a plus, but we will work with you to accommodate any transportation needs. No commitment to your chosen area of design beyond this program is required.
How Many Positions are Available?
Between both teen mentorships (Emerging BIPOC Designers and First Job in the Arts) we will award up to 15 mentorships for the 2022-2023 season. Each program will receive at least 6 placements. The mentorships run from September 2022-June 2023.
How to Apply?
1. Complete the Online Application Form – DEADLINE MAY 23, 2022
• You may type your answer into the boxes, or send an audio or video recording of your responses to STC Teen Program Manager André Samples at asamples@stagestheatre.org
2. Submit a Resume or Portfolio (optional) - Although a resume or portfolio is not required, it can enhance your application. Please upload your supporting documents (as a PDF) within the application below.
3. Be Interviewed – After applications are reviewed a select number of applicants will be invited to participate in an interview with André Samples (Teen Program Manager) about your interest and candidacy in this program.
4. Mentorships Selected – between 6-9 positions will be awarded for this specific mentorship.
PROGRAM SCHEDULE:
September 1, 2022-June 30, 2023
Selection Criteria:
In our selection process we will be considering several factors. The primary criteria for our cohort will be variety. We will need to select participants from different areas of interest (i.e. directors, costume designers, education, etc.) in order to balance the workload for our staff. We will also be looking to create a cohort that is diverse from a racial perspective, a gender perspective, an experience perspective, and comes from across the Twin Cities’ metro area.
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• Receive professional training, preparing you to enter the design field of your choice.
• Get feedback and guidance from your mentor on a design for your school production.
• Attending monthly cohort meetings on the second Saturday of each month September-May from 10:00-11:30.
• Serving in a design role in a production at your school or in your community during the course of the program.
• Participating in an end of year celebration on Sunday, May 21st, 2023 from 6:00pm – 8:00pm.
• You may type your answer into the boxes, or send an audio or video recording of your responses to STC Teen Program Manager André Samples at asamples@stagestheatre.org
2. Submit a Resume or Portfolio (optional) - Although a resume or portfolio is not required, it can enhance your application. Please upload your supporting documents (as a PDF) within the application below.
3. Be Interviewed – After applications are reviewed a select number of applicants will be invited to participate in an interview with André Samples (Teen Program Manager) about your interest and candidacy in this program.
4. Mentorships Selected – between 6-9 positions will be awarded for this specific mentorship.
In our selection process we will be considering several factors. The primary criteria for our cohort will be variety. We will need to select participants from different areas of interest (i.e. directors, costume designers, education, etc.) in order to balance the workload for our staff. We will also be looking to create a cohort that is diverse from a racial perspective, a gender perspective, an experience perspective, and comes from across the Twin Cities’ metro area.
