Whether it’s in the form of swashbuckling pirates or dancing plates, a beast and a wise Mrs. Potts, theater magic will be taking the stage this summer as California State University, Northridge presents the 57th season of its Teenage Drama Workshop (TADW).

The acclaimed youth theater program is presenting “Disney’s Beauty and the Beast Jr.,” directed by Ray Saar, from July 16 to July 25 and “Cirque des Pirates,” an original play written by Ronnie Sperling and Chris Halstead and directed by Sperling, from July 11 to July 26.

“TADW empowers teens who already have a love of theater to find their unique talent and express themselves in new and imaginative ways in front of large audiences of young people, many of whom are seeing live theater for the first time,” said CSUN theater professor Doug Kaback, TADW’s executive director. “For those who are just beginning to discover the joys of theater, this is also an important threshold of experiences. An expression of belonging and a sense of community pervade everything we do.

“As we approach our opening performances this summer, we are enthusiastically passionate about the great offerings in store for everyone, from our students to those who are sitting in our audiences.”

TADW started out as an activity for teens to call attention to the cultural resources available at what was then San Fernando Valley State College. Over the years, the workshop has grown into a nationally acclaimed drama program for teens.

TADW participants rehearsing for “Cirque des Pirates.” Photo courtesy of Melissa Filbeck.

One of the nation’s oldest such programs, TADW immerses the teenagers — this year there are more than 90 in grades seven to 12 — in the day-to-day reality of a professional theatrical troupe, from designing lighting, costumes and sets to learning lines and choreography during an intense six weeks, which started June 16.

In the mornings, the teenagers attend classes in acting, voice and dance, and they can choose electives in improvisation, musical theater, playwriting or the technical aspects of theater production. The afternoons are spent in rehearsal, building sets or putting together costumes and props.

“Disney’s Beauty and the Beast Jr.” is an adaptation of Disney’s Broadway version of the classic story about a bookish girl and the beast that becomes her friend — “a tale as old as time, song as old as rhyme.” “Cirque des Pirates” is a high-energy musical romp following the adventures of 17th century pirates as seen through the eyes of a 10-year-old boy from the present, who helps the swashbuckling crew learn what treasure truly means.

There will be 10 performances of each show, with one performance set aside each as “sensory-friendly” to make the theater experience accessible to children and adults on the autism spectrum or people with special needs. The sensory-friendly performances are scheduled to take place at 2 p.m. on Saturday, July 12, for “Pirates” and 11 a.m. on Saturday, July 19, for “Beauty and the Beast.”

To make those shows sensory-friendly, slight adjustments will be made, including only slightly dimming the theater lights, the reduction of jarring sounds or strobe lights focused on the audience. There will be a pre-performance introduction of the characters and synopsis of what will be happening on stage. In the lobby, there will be quiet areas and an activity area for those who need a break during the performance.

“We did this for the first time last year, and the response was overwhelming,” said Kaback. “There were families who never before felt they could take their children to a live theater performance. It was an incredibly moving experience. There was no way we were not going to do it again.”

In addition to the two plays, TADW also will present its annual “10-Minute Play Festival,” where students in the playwriting and improvisation electives collaborate to bring an idea from “page to stage” in six short weeks.

For more information about TADW or any of the performances, call (818) 677-5811, email tadw@csun.edu or visit the website www.csun.edu/tadw.

Performances of “Cirque des Pirates” are scheduled for 7 p.m. on July 11, 17 and 19; 11 a.m. on July 16, 18, 23, 24, 25 and 26; and 2 p.m. on July 12 in CSUN’s Little Theatre in Nordhoff Hall. Performances of “Disney’s Beauty and the Beast Jr.” are scheduled for 7 p.m. on July 16, 17, 18, 19 and 23; and 11 a.m. on July 18, 19, 23, 24 and 25 in the Campus Theatre in Nordhoff Hall. Nordhoff Hall is located at the southwest corner of the campus near Etiwanda Avenue and Nordhoff Street.

Tickets are $14 for adults and $10 for kids, seniors and for groups of 10 or more. Tickets can be purchased through the A.S. Ticket Office on campus or over the telephone at (818) 677-2488.

Featured, Mike Curb College of Arts Media and Communication, Teenage Drama Workshop, Theater