It’s A Love Thing
Area Youth, Led By Program Director Cathy Smith of CreativeWorks, Build And Star in New Production “When Love Opens The Door”
By Darrell Cador
“When Love Opens The Door” premiers Feb. 21 // 7pm // Milkboy Arthouse
‘Lights, camera, action!’ are the words most familiar in the entertainment industry. But for those seeking to unearth the hidden talents of our local youth then look no further than CreativeWorks. Nestled at Joe’s Movement Emporium in the heart of Mount Rainier, Md. CreativeWorks, a progressive vocational program that teaches theater production and digital media, is the brainchild of Joe's executive director and founder Brooke Kidd. CreativeWorks' newest project comes under the leadership of Program Director Cathy Smith.
Smith is mere days away from that ‘lights, camera, action’ moment as the curtain will rise on “When Love Opens The Door,” a performance arts program led by young authors, poets and artists in the region. Youth talent is also involved in every aspect of the project – from set design to lighting and sound. It’s likely to be a profound work that will leave a great impression on audiences about what young people see and think about the world they will inherit.
The director, cast and crew didn’t get to the excitement of opening night easily.
Young adults are typically in a place of personal development where they are sharing their concerns with a select few who are willing, or even care, to listen. As a healthy alternative to this crisis, CreativeWorks was birthed to be a theatrical incubator for the county’s youth by providing both foundational training and exposure in the behind-the-scenes areas of the performing arts. Cathy’s primary goal in creating this program was to give young people a chance to harness their talents, and in the eight years since its inception over 300 young people have been cultivated. “A key component in motivating young people is to gain their trust,” says Smith. “I’ve found that this is best achieved by openly listening to their concerns.”
A native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and with a keen artistic mind, Smith has performed in numerous productions such as Story District’s ‘Bad Mommy Moments’ and ‘Home for the Holidays.’ Immersed in her craft, she thrives as a storyteller and channels this gift directly as a storytelling instructor to CreativeWorks’ target group (ages 17-22). She also serves beyond this realm via workshops to various groups, boards, staff retreats and more.
“When Love Opens The Door” is one of the more recent projects coming out of the CreativeWorks camp. It is a moving spoken word-style project that provides a platform for these neglected voices to finally be heard.
The production features a collection of gifted performers including Patrick Washington, Leo Solano, Linda Cameron and others.
The Milkboy Arthouse, a thriving new facility in College Park, will serve as the performance space for the show but Joe’s Movement Emporium is faithfully on board as the parent entity to CreativeWorks with a major assist from The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center as
co-sponsor.
Tickets are available at eventbrite.com. Greatly encouraged by the success of its primary mission, Cathy Smith and CreativeWorks are anticipating expansion into Fort Washington’s Harmony Hall with the intent of providing more and greater theater opportunities in the future.
