theatriQ

/the-at-rik/

a performing arts youth ensemble for queer & Trans creatives

(welcoming ages 13-26)

Over the last 20 years, theatriQ has provided a welcoming environment for young people to grow in confidence, express themselves, and develop as leaders.

Every year theatriQ invites local multidisciplinary artists to serve as mentors and guides for young people. Together, they create and share original work (theatre, visual art, music, etc.) exploring LGBTQA+ themes.

Get involved

2024-2025 SEASON

Want to hang out, learn, create AND get paid*?? Join Dreams of Hope’s theatriQ, a performing arts ensemble for young queer and Trans creatives.

We meet at KST Alloy Studios Wendesday nights, 5:30-8 from October to April.

theatriQ welcomes ages 13-26. **Participants earn a stipend at the end of the program based on attendance.

Express Interest

Try us Out! Wed Oct 9th

missed OUR SHOW IN JUNE? watch the recording!

group of black folk taking a selfie in pink tie dye dreams of hope tshirts

group of people with streamers being put on them

group of people standing around a table with one sitting on the floor

four black folk posing with open arms in front of a white background

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)

If your question is not answered below, please feel free to email us at info@dreamsofhope.org and we will get back to you as soon as we can.

What will I do in theatriQ?

Learn about the intersection of queerness & theatre
Explore the foundations of theater and performance
Be yourself & tell your story through art
Collaborate to create original work
Work with seasoned artists
Educate audiences through performances and workshops

Who can join?

We are open to ANY and ALL creative queer and trans youth!

Great! But, what do you mean by “youth?”

By youth, we mean young people. Our current age range is 13-26.

But, what if I’m not “creative?”

Creative means so many things! You might instead call yourself a crafter, hobbyist, writer, musician, performer, artist, poet, activist, organizer, or leader.

Even if you don’t “create,” we as humans express our unique emotions, feelings, and experiences.

So, we encourage you to join one of our creative sessions even if you don’t identify with having any particular art form!

What are creative sessions?

Creative sessions are what we call are weekly meetings.

This is a time for us to join collectively to learn, create, express, and be.

Folks in attendance are

Young people that are participating
Seasoned, local teaching artists that hold space, facilitate activities, and share knowledge
Dreams of Hope staff members that provide support

In this time together, we explore the foundations of theater and performance, genres, technical theatre, and playwriting, and more. There are often creative exercises like creating charters, writing scenes, reading pieces, or creating your own works of art!

We also focus on devising a full production together over the course of a semester. Visit our productions page or our youtube channel to get an idea of what theatriQ has devised over the last 20 years!

Where and where do we meet?

We hold creative sessions on Wednesday evenings 5:30-8pm at KST Alloy Studios in the neighborhood of East Liberty Pittsburgh, PA.

If you are interested in attending a workshop, please RSVP above so we can prepare.

We will meet in the Upstairs Studio. Once you arrive, you will use the buzzer and enter the studio door on Stratford Ave. Someone will be there to greet you, or you can follow the signs to the elevator that will bring you to the Upstairs Studio (3rd floor).

Accessible via bus lines: 71A, 71C, 77, 87, 88, and 89.
Street parking is available.

What’s the commitment level?

Our fall 2023 semester runs October - December.

Dreams of Hope compensates creative labor and has funding to provide stipends to theatriQ participants at the end of the series.

We encourage weekly attendance and participation! Each week will focus on a different theme surrounding theater.

We hope you can attend as many weekly creative sessions as possible, but its okay if you can’t make them all. Once you have registered, please let us know when you won’t be able to make it!

Sometimes, there are creative prompts that you may take home with you to explore, in a fun and creative way.

Our spring 2024 semester runs in two parts.

CREATE runs January - March // PLAY runs April - May

In spring we dedicate focus to creating and producing a youth devised mainstage show.

We will have weekly sessions from January to May.

In May, there will be a tech week, which are daily rehearsals the week before performances start. We will have multiple performances one weekend in May – Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Will there be people my age?

Yes, there will probably be a few! However, with our expansive age range of 13-26, we can’t guarantee that the majority of people participating will be around the same age as you.

Additionally, at Dreams of Hope, mentorship is at the heart of our work. That means many things, but here we highlight it to share about peer mentorship in action: the young people who have been involved with Dreams of Hope for a few years are welcoming and supportive to new members!

Who are the Dreams of Hope staff who will be present?

Our Program Director, Bekezela Mguni, and our Program Assistant, kai (malachiah) koehler, coordinate theatriQ. One or both of them are present at each creative session!

Click their names or photos to learn more about them.