About Us

For over 20 years, Superior Arts Youth Theater has been Increasing youth access to the performing arts in the Upper Peninsula.

Who We Are!

Through acting, music, dance, and other arts disciplines, Superior Arts Youth Theater (SAY Theater) seeks to provide young people ages 3 – 18 with educational, performance, and technical theater opportunities.

SAY Theater’s annual programming includes theatre camps, workshops, and productions. We use the Visual, Arts, Music, Dance, and Theater benchmarks established by the National Coalition for Core Arts Standards to structure our arts programs to build confidence, create positive connections, and foster commitment, teamwork, and responsibility.

Young artists from Marquette, Alger, and Delta counties collaborate with adult teaching artists, designers, directors, and musicians year-round. 

Our Story

We have been part of the Marquette community for 20 years, beginning as a civic enrichment program through the City of Marquette Arts and Culture Center and eventually forming an independent 501(c)3 in 2015.

Since our founding, SAY Theater’s programming has expanded to include 3 to 4 large cast productions per year, a one-act play festival, a youth playwriting project, and a summer arts camp. We now serve approximately 300 youth ages 3-18 from and around Marquette County annually.

 

Our Mission

Through acting, music, dance, and other arts disciplines, SAY Theater seeks to provide young people ages 3-18 with high quality educational, performance, and technical theater opportunities.

Inclusion Statement

SAY Theater works to create a more inclusive and equitable space for young people interested in theatre. We believe everyone deserves access to the performing arts regardless of age, ability, race, ethnicity, economic status, sexual orientation, and gender.

Our program includes need-based financial aid, wheelchair accessible rehearsal and performance spaces, and a faculty happy to work with families to meet participants’ individual physical, learning, and social needs. If there are ways we can be more welcoming to your family, please let us know at production@saytheater.org.

Get Involved

Donate

SAY Theater is a 501(c)3 Non-Profit Organization. Your contributions enhance our arts programs and help keep the performing arts accessible to all youth in the Central Upper Peninsula.

Programs

Theatrical Productions

Each year SAY Theater produces 3 to 4 musicals, a play series that includes the annual Youth Playwriting Project, and more. All productions are open to local youth performers, designers, and technicians. 

 

Workshops

Throughout the year, SAY Theater hosts educational workshops to help youth grow their skills and their confidence. These workshops are typically free to participate and feature a wide range of special interests – including Auditioning, Design, Improv, Visual Arts, and more!

Arts Camps

Every summer, SAY Theater hosts arts camps for youth ages 3 – 18. These camps feature a variety of interests with skill levels from Beginner, to Intermediate, to Advanced. Camps currently require a registration fee to participate, with needs based financial aid available. 

Sponsorship

When you sponsor a SAY Theater production, you not only market your business to a captive audience – your gift sets the stage for a bright future for Upper Peninsula youth.

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What Our Community Is Saying About SAY Theater

I love the people, and being onstage makes me feel larger than life.

THE LIGHTNING THIEF CAST MEMBER

It was very well organized, all the adults in charge were kind and respectful to the kiddos and parents, and communication was great! It is affordable and I loved how you included so many kids! Great costumes, great props. All around a very fun, well organized and professional production!

JUNIE B. JONES JR. PARENT

The high-level of theatre that was achieved with such young kids. It was an amazing experience for them, for us as parents, and the Marquette community as a whole.

ANNIE JR. PARENT

I enjoyed how much my daughter learned, singing, dancing, working with props, working with a team, and learning about different components of theater like costume, mics, staging, etc.

JUNIE B. JONES JR. PARENT

Outstanding student talent, nurturing environment, excellent production, standard of excellence, awesome community that is fostered by those in leadership (thank you Sara, Becky, Aubrey, and every one else who works on the productions!)

THE LIGHTNING THIEF PARENT