CYT

Our most recent volunteer experience was through the Fredericksburg organization Christian Youth Theater or CYT.  CYT is an extracurricular performing organization for children ages 4-18.  Not only do they offer 10-week classes in the areas of performing (dance, theater, and music) but they put on a musical theatrical performance every 10 weeks.  This means that at the conclusion of each show a breakdown of the sets required for the previous performance needs to take place, which includes not only deconstructing set pieces but also organizing the pieces so that they can be repurposed later for future productions.

Our group will participate in three volunteer experiences overall, this being the second.  Although I do not know how I will feel about the third opportunity, a competition for high schoolers hosted by Germanna, I believe my experience with CYT will be my favorite.  While I recognize that our experience at the multicultural fair at UMW was helpful, the type of work we were doing for CYT was more enjoyable for me.  I was able to work with my hands and use my construction skills, knowledge, and experience as we broke apart set pieces from their previous production of Willy Wonka.  It also provided a sense of accomplishment because you could see the immediate results of your work.  Additionally, because my wife is a theater director and I have often worked on or designed sets for her shows, I am aware of the amount of work that goes into building and breaking down sets.  I, therefore, know how helpful the work we were doing was for the current production crew and how any amount of help given to them is immensely appreciated.