JACK YATES THEATRE ENSEMBLE

The J.Y. Theatre Ensemble | 2023–2024 Season Highlights

This year, the Jack Yates High School Theatre Program reached incredible new heights under inspired leadership and passionate student talent. We launched our season with a powerful production of A Raisin in the Sun, setting the tone for a year rooted in excellence and cultural storytelling. In November, 15 students traveled to Dallas to compete at the Texas Thespians Festival, where four advanced to the National level—a major milestone for our program.

We expanded our students' horizons with a trip to The Alley Theatre to experience The World Is Not Silent, offering exposure to professional, inclusive theatre-making. The Ensemble was honored to perform for South Texas College of Law in celebration of Black History Month—an unforgettable opportunity to uplift our voices in the community.

In UIL One-Act Play competition, our production of Blues for an Alabama Sky by Pearl Cleage earned the title of District Champion, claimed First Place at Bi-District, and brought home a host of individual awards—including the coveted "Best Actor"—ultimately finishing strong with a 4th place win at Area.

We closed out the season with a packed house and pure joy at our iconic end-of-year Talent Show, a celebration of all the creativity and brilliance nurtured throughout the year.

The J.Y. Theatre Ensemble continues to rise—fueled by heart, artistry, and purpose.

The J.Y. Theatre Ensemble | 2024–2025 Season Highlights

The 2024–2025 school year was nothing short of phenomenal for the Jack Yates High School Theatre Program. We hit the ground running with our electrifying production of The Wiz, proudly entering the show into the prestigious Tommy Tune Awards for recognition in high school musical theatre. Our students didn’t stop there—19 young artists traveled to Texas Thespians in Corpus Christi, competing in a wide range of Individual Events, including Group Acting, Duet Acting, Musical Theatre, Musical Theatre Dance, Lighting Design, Sound Design, and Stagecraft. We are thrilled to celebrate six students who placed at the national level!

Exposure to professional theatre remained a cornerstone of our program. We took 50 students to see A Christmas Carol at The Alley Theatre, kicking off a season filled with powerful performances and learning experiences. Our students were invited to perform a Black History program highlighting Black writers at the district’s annual luncheon—an honor and a celebration of culture and creativity.

For UIL One-Act Play, our moving production of Pipeline by Dominique Morisseau earned District Champion and First Place at Bi-District, finishing strong at Area. Our sights are set on Regionals—and State—in the upcoming year.

Through a partnership with The Alley Theatre’s community outreach initiative, our students studied Their Eyes Were Watching God, writing their own self-narratives. This led to three students being cast and paid to perform their work on The Alley stage—an extraordinary real-world opportunity. We also collaborated with Theatre Under The Stars on a dynamic curriculum centered on Hamilton: The Musical. Students created original “mini-Hamilton” pieces inspired by historical topics, culminating in a 3rd place finish and a thrilling field trip to see Hamilton at the Hobby Center.

We continued broadening our students’ artistic perspectives by attending West Side Story at the Wortham Theatre and In the Heights at the Hobby Center. One of our proudest moments came when senior Aniya Rojas was nominated for Best Lead in a Musical at the Tommy Tune Awards—an inspiring recognition of her incredible talent.

We closed the year with a packed house at our annual talent show and celebrated a season of growth, passion, and purpose at our end-of-year Theatre Banquet. The J.Y. Theatre Ensemble continues to be a force of creativity and excellence—on stage, in the classroom, and across the city.