1. To provide an accepting environment for children and youth
   to positively express themselves through drama classes.
2. To provide fundamental skills and techniques in drama and theatre.
3. To encourage, direct and provide training to students who wish
   to pursue a career in theatre.
4. To cultivate community awareness of children and youth in theatre.
5. To provide an opportunity for students to participate in community events such as The Port Moody Festival of the Arts and Live at Leight Square.
6. To provide an avenue by which different arts groups such as drama, music and dance can collaborate in a theatre production.
7. To provide employment opportunities for theatre and drama in
   education professionals.
8. To provide an opportunity for adult actors to practice their craft, outside
   of production.

Responsibility:

Instructors of the Moon Stone Theatre Company Programs have a tremendous responsibility. In delivering these programs, the very nature necessitates that the teacher encourage and motivate students to emotionally expose themselves. The greatest of care must be taken by the teacher to protect and respect this 'giving'. We advertise our programs as providing a safe environment and we are not referring to physical safety so much as we are emotional safety. It is up to the instructor to structure the environment.

Why do we teach our students concentration, communication, cooperation? Why do we teach them to recognize their emotions? When studying characterization, why do we teach students to investigate motivation?... to read between the lines of the script and consider the character's internal dialogue? So they will be good actors?

The broader intention, whether they go on to pursue a career in theatre or not, is for our students to take away with them some basic life skills. Skills that are functional in every area of life - we wish to ignite emotional intelligence.

In Structuring the Environment:

The goal is to give purpose, set achievable goals and provide an atmosphere of trust and acceptance. Each individual student must feel important and deserving of respect and consideration. Each individual student must demonstrate respect and consideration toward their fellow student.

It is the teacher's responsibility to set the stage by defining the boundaries of interaction clearly and concisely.

When students are required to be responsible and accountable and when they experience the consequence of their words, behaviour and decisions, they will feel control over their lives and will start to practice self-discipline.

Critical comments regarding work or personality is not tolerated. Pettiness on any level, is strongly discouraged; once students have disciplined themselves to expect and practice unconditional positive regard, focus will be easily maintained and potential will escalate to new heights.

During production especially, the integrity of the group and of the Moon Stone Theatre Company as a whole, must be displayed through appropriate conduct and professionalism by even the youngest member. This must be prepared for.

These programs are meant
to provide a vehicle whereby students
can feel confidence and competence
and experience success.

Through careful staffing:

Our programs have nurtured a formidable reputation with clients and the community. The program base has been expanded slowly, cautiously and effectively. At this time, more than any other, the importance of staffing the programs with qualified individuals who understand the Moon Stone Theatre Company philosophy and can deliver the content effectively is paramount.

There are many exceptional theatre professionals who lack the skills to work with children; just as there are many exceptional teachers who would be unable to deliver a Moon Stone Theatre Company program. We have been most fortunate in securing good personnel to provide added value and program impact.

Equal to the obvious pre-requisites, the successful Moon Stone Theatre Company instructor will be sensitive and flexible to the fluctuating needs of the group. S/He will possess management skills necessary to maintain a position of respect and authority while at the same time the interpersonal and intrapersonal skills necessary in gaining the trust of the group.

The perceptive teacher will feel when it is necessary to have an 'airing out' or reconnection. S/He will sense for example, during a heavy rehearsal schedule, when it is important to take time out for students to reconnect on a personal level.

Expectations will be outlined in a very matter-of-fact manner along with any rules and regulations. Reasoning should be given in a way that takes the onus off the teacher and places it on the student. If the student can feel that it is in his/her personal best interest that certain standards be negotiated, s/he will be more likely to 'buy into' these standards.

It then becomes the teacher's job to simply point out what the students themselves have already endorsed.

Moon Stone Theatre Company's young players programs have been in operation since 1989, originating in Ottawa as the Orleans Young Players.

In the Summer of 1989, Karen Freeborn pulled together from notes that she had collected over the years, an outline of a program that would give children the opportunity to experience the many wonders of theatre.

The program was designed as a progressional one. Work in relaxation, concentration, voice, movement, improvisation, mime, and character building preceded the rehearsal period in which a play would be selected, rehearsed, and presented. The intention of the program was to provide the children with the unique opportunity to experience all aspects of theatre, including a full-scale production. However, students would first receive training in order to build the foundation skills and confidence needed for production.

Sixteen children registered into the young players program that first September 1989. All who attended were highly enthusiastic and ‘wanted more’. It was clear that this was a program which generated a great deal of interest, and that it was a wanted and needed addition to the community. By 1995 registration had climbed to 207 students in 11 different programs.

In 1997, Karen left the Orleans Young Players running strong and in the capable hands of David Hersh as Artistic Director, and moved to Port Coquitlam, British Columbia.

While working as an employment facilitator at THEOBC, Karen met Christine Buchanan. Having a strong theatre background, Christine was interested in the work Karen had been doing in Ottawa. During lengthy discussions, they discovered that their personal experiences in theatre, attitudes toward education and training and their approach to training children and youth (with social well being foremost in mind), were amazingly similar. Christine was hired to direct A Friend is a Friend for the Port Moody Young Players, of which Karen was Artistic Director. From there, more talk culminated in the concept of a new theatre company grown from the basic philosophy of the Young Players program model. The current model would be expanded and augmented with complimentary concepts gleaned from Christine’s experience and expertise. The re-igniting power of two minds on the same playing field was enough to convince Karen.

In September 2001, the Moon Stone Theatre Company opened its doors to over 80 young players with a commitment to quality programs here in British Columbia. With Karen as the Executive Director and Christine as Artistic Director, a first year of success culminated in the production of A Mid-Summer Night's Dream, which played to children from 11 area schools in June 2002.

Our second year culminated in production of The Tempest which was a huge success, incorporating students from the ACT I, ACT II and ACT III programs and playing to over 450 area school children in 4 performances.

In May of 2003, Moon Stone Theatre Company secured a new 1600 sq ft Studio space at Leigh Square in Port Coquitlam and the summer was spent painting, renovating and decorating for the Grand Opening of Moon Stone's New Home on September 3, 2003! Over 150 visitors to the studio joined in the celebrations! 120 students registered into season programming and another 70 children participated in Summer Camp programs.

This year, Moon Stone’s annual ‘Shakespeare Live’ event received $2000 from the City of Port Coquitlam for costuming and a reduced theatre rental rate from The City of Port Moody. The ACT II, Act III and ACT IV students were proud to present Romeo and Juliet and The Taming of the Shrew in 6 performances to school children from 7 area schools, 2 performances for the public and one reserved performance for family and friends. Port Coquitlam’s Mr. Mayor Scott Young and Port Moody’s Cultural Services Manager, Elizabeth Keurvorst, both of whom addressed the audience, attended the final performances.

ACT I students were joined by 2nd year Little Players and staged 6 performances of Pinocchio and the Fire-Eater. Colorful costumes, artfully applied make-up and fairy-tale properties created a magical setting in which these young thespians demonstrated their talents and culminated their year of study and fun.

Numerous other ‘studio presentations’ took place throughout the year and the Adult Acting Program lifted off the ground with two workshops in Beginner Acting – Monologues.

We now move delightfully into our 2nd year in the studio and we are excited at the prospect of achieving the same joyful success we have been experiencing. We invite you to join us!