Superior Arts Youth Theater

SAYT believes every child in the Upper Peninsula deserves access to education that nurtures theatrical skills and enthusiasm for the arts. We envision a future where a comprehensive range of theatre arts made for and by children is a vital component in every community.

Your donation makes our work possible!

SAYT programming supplements the arts education provided in the Marquette Area Public Schools and surrounding districts by creating opportunities for kids of all ages — from preschool through high school — to perform in musicals and plays, join the crew backstage, or build new skills in camps and workshops. Through acting, singing, and dancing, our participants practice literacy and leadership skills while building friendships and having fun!

Where is your donation going? 

Youth Financial Aid - In order to provide our young participants with safe, fun, and educational programming, SAYT charges participation fees. About 15% of the youth in our program are in need of financial aid. A donation of $75-$150 waives the registration fee for one youth participant in a play, musical, or summer camp. Our tiered registration fees: 

Musical Production (3 months of rehearsal and 4-5 performances): $150

Play Festival Production (3 months of rehearsal and 2-3 performances): $100

Summer Camps & Workshops (week-long 1-3 hour camps with a final compilation performance): $75

Rehearsal Space Rental - We hold rehearsals with up to 90 kids in rooms we rent from Marquette Hope. We love using this space as our home base and having a consistent, accessible place to prepare for performances. A donation of $250 defrays our rehearsal space rental costs for one month.

Performance Space Rental - Over the last 18 years, the SAYT season has expanded to include up to seven plays and musicals. To provide the best experience possible for our participants and audiences, we rent performance spaces from local theaters. A typical performance venue rental costs between $4,500-$7,000 per production. 

Storage Space Rental - We pay $400 per month for storage of props, costumes, and scenery. Reusing supplies reduces our environmental impact and saves money. Storage space also allows us to share resources, like costumes and props, with other organizations in our community! 

Performance rights - Purchasing performance rights allows us to legally present public performances of a copyrighted work and ensures that the playwrights, composers, lyricists, and publishers of our productions are paid. The average cost of the rights for each performance of a musical is $910. Our musicals typically have 4-5 performances each — a total cost of $3,640-$4,550 per musical; with up to four musicals each year, performance royalties alone can be $14,560-$18,200!

Production Costs - Production elements help bring the story to life. Costumes, makeup, scenery, props, lighting, sound, and special effects give our kids confidence, help them shine, and create a polished show. These components cost about $4,325 per production and include:

1. A costume, special hair, and makeup to help them get into character and enhance the educational value of their performance, creating opportunities for them to claim responsibility, and work as a team to get the job done. This is all put together by our volunteer costume manager, parent helpers and a team of hair and makeup volunteers. Cost: $27 per actor with an average of 75 actors - $2,025 per production

2. A set built by our scenic designer and a volunteer crew enhancing the artistic value of the production and creating a safe space for our youth to perform. Cost: $1500 per production

3. Props created by volunteers that not only enhance the performance but increase the sense of responsibility for our cast members by giving them something they must be accountable for. Cost: $300 per production

4. Lighting, sound, and special effects establish the tone and mood of each production. Our young technicians learn practical applications of STEM skills through design! Cost: $500 per production

Our plays and musicals are a platform to build a sense of community by engaging youth and adults with a common goal. Working with local designers and technicians boosts the economy, creates precedence for artistic excellence, and strengthens our community bond. Adult artists from our previous productions speak of the sense of family and ownership they gain through working with an age-diverse organization.

With your help, we know our organization can continue to grow and impact kids in the Upper Peninsula! Join us in celebrating the creativity of the youth, volunteers, and staff that bring our productions to life by helping us mentor, support, and empower their voices.