Tenino Young-at-Heart Theatre cultivates community, builds relationships, and promotes individual growth through the joy of theatre.
Tenino Youth Theatre began out of the desire of my sons and their neighborhood friends desire to, “Do a real show.” They had been doing Robinhood plays in the backyard with 15 minutes of sword fights for us parents. So, in the summer of 1990 we began with the play “Johnny Appleseed” by Michael and Jill Gallina performed at St. Peter Catholic Church. In our third year through the graciousness of the Tenino School District, we made Tenino High School our home. After three years of doing productions with young children only, adults began to ask to be part of the show. In 1994 we changed our name to Tenino Young-at-Heart Theatre and did Rogers and Hammerstein’s “The Sound of Music.” Since then, we have done productions for the whole community. Members of our company have majored in theatre, gone on to teach nationally recognized theatre programs, become directors in community theatres, become professional theatre technicians and become actors at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Now in our 30th season, our mission is to cultivate community, build relationships, and promote individual growth through the joy of theatre. We love sharing the art of performance with the members of the South Puget Sound Community.
–R. J. (Bob) McKenzieSullivan, Managing Director