Village Players Wraps Up 2025 NextGen Program with Performances

By Mary Casey-Sturk

The Village Players recently wrapped up a successful second year of the NextGen program.

Through NextGen, students explored the world of theatre for young audiences and learned the techniques and characteristics of the genre. It is the brainchild of local theater educator, Drue Harris, who leads the summer program held at the 8 North Center for the Arts. Funding for this year came from a grant from Summerfair Cincinnati as well as ticket sales.

Founded in 1968, Summerfair is dedicated to supporting young artists, individual artists, and community-based arts organizations through awards, scholarships, and exhibitions.

Middle and high school students studied alongside Harris and college interns to learn about everything that goes into producing a play. Acting, set design, technology and cooperation all play a role (pun intended) in bringing a play to life. In addition to working together to prepare for their (hilarious) production of Bedtime Stories (As Told By Our Dad) (Who Messed Them Up) which was performed July 11-13, the students also worked with guest theatre artists from local theaters and universities.

The production was written by Ed Monk, directed by Harris with Assistant Directors Ella Deavy and Autumn Ashford. Wes Wesselman was the Technical Director.

Fort Thomas Living spoke with Harris about this program.

How long have you been involved in theater? “I’m a theater teacher, that’s what my day job is, and I’ve just finished my 12th year teaching. I have been with Village Players for three years and this will be my third summer here. I directed the new work show in ‘23 and ‘24.”

“Working with Village Players was my first real foray into community theater- I’ve been in the educational theater world forever- and then last spring I proposed the program (NextGen) and we started to develop that.” Harris will also be directing a main stage production in February.  

Why create NextGen?

“I really have always wanted to do it.  I love working with kids, high school kids especially because that’s what I teach, and I saw a lack of affordable summer programming.”  Harris continues, “A lot of the summer programs are either expensive, highly competitive or musicals. Not all kids are musical kids and there are kids who love theater and who want to be involved.”

“It’s always been my goal to create some sort of summer show program for kids in that situation. Education as the forefront; it’s not about putting on the best quality show, but it is about giving kids the most educational opportunities possible.”

On Challenges

“One of the big challenges is kids coming with different levels of knowledge and training. Some kids have been in a million shows; some kids have been in one or two. Some kids have a full-time theater teacher and they’re taking multiple theater classes, and some kids don’t have any theater classes. For me, when it comes to working with kids, it’s really about meeting them where they are and really knowing that every kid can be successful- they just need the opportunity, and they need coaching. That’s something that I’ve learned over the last decade plus of my career -how to meet kids where they are and to focus less on the product and more on the process because I don’t need to put on a Broadway caliber Tony award-winning show. If the kids learned and grew through the process that is the mark of success for me.”

Another challenge is a tight budget. Harris and the students got creative working with a shoestring budget. They used reclaimed materials (fabrics, costumes) and lots of cardboard to create their sets.

Harris expressed gratitude to Summerfair Cincinnati for providing funding for 2025 and believing in the young program. The funding allowed participants to attend for free on scholarship if they needed to. Village Players is also hoping to expand their programming in the future so even more students, including younger ones, can participate.

For more information about the Village Players, visit www.villageplayers.org.