True Colors: OUT Youth Theater

About True Colors

True Colors: Out Youth Theater is the Theater Offensive’s longest running seasonal program. It uses a proven community-based theater approach to train and activate lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (LGBTQ) and allied youth leaders ages 13-25. True Colors youth leaders work with The Theater Offensive to develop comprehensive youth programming that engages participants deeply in our mission.

Award-Winning Queer Youth Theater

True Colors is the only queer and trans youth theater program in the region and the longest-running of only a few such programs throughout the country. Participants in True Colors create original work based on their own personal stories as queer and trans youth of diverse racial, cultural, and economic backgrounds, from all across different communities in Boston. Participants then share these stories with schools, community groups, and youth-serving government agencies. These stories reflect the realities of queer and trans youth today, create honest dialogues, and have powerful impacts on audience members. True Colors programming is informed by The Theater Offensive’s mission, which focuses specifically on Queer and Trans People of Color, and its Queer and QTPOC Liberatory Aesthetics work.

At the core of our True Colors programming is the desire to provide youth with the tools to succeed artistically, personally, academically, and professionally. Youth in True Colors Troupe are provided with a stipend that exceeds minimum wage, funds for hot meals, and technical support upon request.

From True Colors: OUT Youth Theatre: Evelyn Francis and Trae Weekes (Photo courtesy of NAHYP Awards)

True Colors Troupe

True Colors Troupe is an out-of-school devising theater program for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer & questioning youth and their straight allies, ages 14-18. Youth work with teaching artists to create and develop skills in performance, social justice, and community activism.