La Jolla youth theater program director encourages kids to ‘work hard and shine’

The La Jolla Recreation Center youth theater program has a growing number of performers taking the stage, but behind the scenes, there is still just one person putting productions together.

Ben Greene, who also leads the Christian-based Greene Tree Theatre Company, has been at the helm of design, casting, choreography, setwork and direction of the plays staged at the La Jolla Rec Center for the past two years.

“The Little Mermaid,” his most recent production, featured a cast of more than two dozen youngsters and drew standing-room-only crowds when it was performed over two nights in July.

At the time, Rec Center Director Nick Volpe said about 100 people attended each show.

“We had 32 kids ranging from the ages of 6 to 14,” he added. “That’s the largest group we have had since this program started.”

“I’m pretty stoked about it,” Greene said of the program’s success thus far. “I’m very much about creating and keeping the space for kids to be kids.”

Greene has been involved with theater since his own youth at the South Clairemont Recreation Center.

“I just really love theater,” he said. He found it to be a safe space for young people to be encouraged, build skills and express themselves.

Eleven years ago, Greene contracted with the city of San Diego to create a youth theater program. Starting with the familiar South Clairemont Rec Center, he built the program using props and any available materials from other productions. He often picked his productions based on what props he could reuse.

He expanded the program to the La Jolla Rec Center two years ago.

“La Jolla was a huge upgrade; the other space was really minimal,” Greene said.

At the La Jolla center, all participants make the show in some capacity but go through auditions to determine which role.

“Kids can learn very fast in theater that they are not always going to get their way and they are going to hear ‘no,’ but they can work hard and still shine,” Greene said.

He tends to produce musicals because they’re often “the best way to get a lot of kids … in one production,” he added with a laugh.

Greene leads rehearsals once a week until show time, with cast members running lines, practicing choreography and more. They’re encouraged to rehearse at home as well.

“Parents need to be involved” and are asked to help with costumes whenever possible, supervise rehearsals and/or provide snacks or drinks for the cast, Greene said.

Greene said more girls than boys typically participate and that he would like to see more boys get involved.

“Every La Jolla show has had boys from Greene Tree act in them,” he said.

“I started my company because I was able to explore theater at rec centers,” he said. “It brings so much satisfaction, but I think it is really sweet to see the kids get excited and see them experience what I experienced. It’s something I can do for my community.”

The next La Jolla production, “Cinderella,” will begin casting and rehearsals next month. An information session where potential participants can learn about the show and what will be expected is scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 1. Auditions will begin the next day.

To learn more, call the La Jolla Recreation Center at 858-552-1658 or visit greenetreetheatre.com.