Where the Real Magic Happens: Youth Ambassadors and Full Circle Begin a New Season
There is something magical about the moment the lights go down, the orchestra begins and a Broadway show comes to life on stage. But on the night Broadway Utica welcomed THE WIZ, some of the most meaningful moments happened before anyone ever took their seat inside the theatre.
Nearly 60 students and community members gathered to kick off a new season of Broadway Utica’s Youth Ambassador Program and Full Circle—two programs with different approaches but one very important thing in common: connection.
Before the performance, participants sat down together for a meal. They learned about the history of theatre and the arts. They met new people. They shared stories. There were introductions that quickly turned into conversations, and conversations that became laughter.
And that is exactly what we hoped would happen.
More Than a Ticket to the Theatre
Broadway Utica believes access to the arts means more than simply getting someone through the theatre doors. It means creating an environment where young people feel welcomed when they arrive. It means giving them opportunities to meet people outside of their school, neighborhood or everyday circle. It means exposing them to new careers, new perspectives and new possibilities. And sometimes, it simply means giving a young person a seat at a table where someone is genuinely interested in what they have to say.
This season, more than 14 school districts are represented in our Youth Ambassador Program. Think about what that means….
Students who may never have met one another are suddenly sitting at the same table. They come from different schools, different communities and different backgrounds, but they walk into the theatre with at least one thing in common: they are there to experience something together.
By the end of the night, they usually discover they have a lot more in common than they realized.
Full Circle adds another layer to that experience. Community members (comprised of several seniors citizens from our area) participating in Full Circle take several students under their wing throughout the program. There is no complicated formula for what happens next. They simply start talking Maybe they discover they loved the same Broadway musical. Maybe they completely disagree about one. Maybe the conversation turns to school, a future career, a challenge someone has faced, a lesson learned along the way or a dream for what comes next. And then—boom….. The real magic happens.
The age difference starts to matter a little less. Titles and job descriptions disappear. It becomes people talking to people. One generation gets the opportunity to share experiences and lessons learned, while another brings a completely different perspective to the table.
Both have something to offer.
Both have something to learn.
And the arts give them a reason to come together.
A Place to Belong
Programs like Youth Ambassadors and Full Circle are vital because young people need places where they feel they belong. They need adults who will listen. They need opportunities to explore interests they may not encounter during a typical school day. They need to see that there are many different paths their lives can take. And they deserve to experience the arts, not as something that belongs to someone else, but as something that belongs to them, too.
That is one of the things we hope every student who participates in Broadway Utica programming understands: There is a place for you here. You don’t have to know every Broadway musical. You don’t have to want to be an actor. You don’t have to know anything about theatre before you walk through the doors. Come as you are. The arts are for everyone.
It Takes a Community
Experiences like this do not happen without partners who believe in the value of investing in young people. We are deeply grateful to Bank of Utica, whose support of Broadway Utica’s Youth Ambassador Program helps us continue creating meaningful opportunities for students throughout our region.
We are equally grateful to Excellus BlueCross BlueShield for supporting Full Circle and believing in the power of bringing generations together through shared experiences.
Their support goes far beyond helping someone attend a Broadway performance. Their support helps us create little moments that can be difficult to measure on a spreadsheet, but create the biggest impact. Programs like this exist through their continued generosity.
This is only the beginning of the 2026-2027 season and we can’t wait to see what else is to come!