Roundabout Youth Ensemble.
Roundabout’s free after school program for NYC Public School Students.
Roundabout Youth Ensemble (RYE) is a free after-school program for NYC public high school students. Teaching artists, performers and alumni work with participants to build skills in teamwork, professional development and original work creation.
Each spring, RYE students focus on a specific artistry, culminating in a presentation of original work. An original play written by a Playwriting participant will be fully produced with Roundabout Theatre Company in Summer 2026. Creative young artists can be part of the following Spring Session teams:
Tech Team
Explore theatrical disciplines including lighting, costumes, scenery, sound, and stage management. Utilize skills learned to design presentations and run technical elements of the Spring Sharing in May.
Performance Team
Build acting skills through script analysis, character development, and rehearsal strategies. Perform student-written texts in Spring Sharing in May.
Playwriting Team
Playwrights will develop, write and revise original works. Excerpts of original work will be presented at the Spring Sharing in May.
Directing Team
This Spring, directors will stage excerpts of original works written by peers in the playwriting team. Working through script analysis, blocking rehearsals, and actor collaboration, directors bring the vision of the play to life.
RYE Summer Programming.
This summer RYE will produce a full-scale original production with Roundabout Theatre Company. Student leaders and participants are responsible for artistic and managerial decisions for the world premiere production.
Summer session:
June 29 – August 12, 2026
Performances:
- Friday, August 7, 2:00 & 7:00 pm
- Saturday, August 8, 2:00 & 7:00 pm
- Sunday, August 9, 2:00 pm
RYE Alumni Events.
Participants from previous years of RYE/SPW who have graduated high school are encouraged to attend. Complimentary refreshments and tickets to Roundabout productions will be provided. Details on how to RSVP come.
For questions:
Roundabout Youth Ensemble is made possible through the support of The Pinkerton Foundation, The Rose M. Badgeley Residuary Charitable Trust, and the Elroy and Terry Krumholz Foundation.
This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council, and the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Hochul and the New York State Legislature.
We are grateful to those who contribute major support to Education at Roundabout’s many programs: Dr. Georgette Bennett, The Bok Family Foundation—Roxanne and Scott L. Bok Trustees, Herbert M. Citrin Charitable Foundation, Conard-Davis Family Foundation, Susan and Ed Forst, Freedom Together Foundation, Sylvia Golden, Geoff Greener, HedgeServ Corporation, The Kaplen Brothers Fund, Joele Frank and Larry Klurfeld, the Kors Le Pere Foundation, Jill and Barry Lafer, David and Anita Massengill, Kate and Bob Niehaus, Mitra and Daniel O’Neill, Katheryn Patterson and Tom Kempner, Samantha Rudin Earls and David Earls, Genci Sela – Phase 3, Jennifer and Owen Thomas, Tiger Baron Foundation, Laurie M. Tisch Illumination Fund, Michael Tuch Foundation, Diane and Tom Tuft, Cynthia C. Wainwright and Stephen Berger, Liz and Ken Whitney, Johannes and Regis Worsoe, Emmy Zuckerman and Ed Bonfield.