About a dozen children from the Beecher Terrace Housing Project, YCEP Coordinator Betty Matthews, and JLT volunteer Terri Robinson-Helm performed their adaptation of Tall Tales, based on Zora Neale Hurston's folklore about animals, at the Brown School and the Kentucky Center for the Arts, January 14th and 16th. The children’s participation was part of the Hurston Festival, sponsored annually by the Louisville chapter of Zeta Beta Phi sorority.  Not only were the children thrilled to make their stage debuts, but they were also excited to meet Zora kin, Lucy Hurston, the guest of honor.
 
YCEP was a pilot program in partnership with the Louisville Housing Authority.

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YCEP funding is provided, in part, by Target Stores, Metro Louisville, Fund for the Arts and You! [Click here on how to help.]

YCEP is an after-school African-American drama program, presented in partnership with the Louisville Housing Authority, at the Baxter Community Center near downtown. Hands-on activities include internet research, play writing, performance, and production, media art, and cultural field trips. All supplies, space, and transportation are provided by LHA.

YCEP Coordinator, Miss Betty Matthews, and JLT Volunteer, Terri Robinson-Helm, have been working with middle-school aged children to create their own original play, Tall Tales, based on Zora Neale Hurston's folklore. Their presentation will be during the Hurston Festival, sponsored by Zeta Beta Phi sorority, in the Bromhard Theater. Miss Betty says that the children are focusing on animal stories, children's experiences at school, and The Creation.

The children started their project researching Hurston's life, and they were very pleased to learn about her impressive career as novelist, anthropologist, and literary luminary of the Harlem Renaissance. In addition to rehearsing their parts, the children are creating a lobby display to honor Zora.  The display will consist of home-made books, ceramic animals, and poster art.

JLT board member, Pat Hagedorn, is working with the children on making their set design, and Ms. Matthews and Robinson-Helm are assisting them with costumes and make-up. There will be a catered cast party for the children, their parents, LHA officials, Baxter staff, and invited guests after the performance.

Future YCEP activities include a field trip to Derby Dinner Playhouse to see its production of Ain't Misbehavin in March.  The children will prepare themselves "to be an informed audience" by researching Fats Waller's life and ragtime music. And don't be surprised to see some YCEPers "struttin' their stuff" in the Juneteenth@Apollo during this season's Jamboree!