Theatre Connect for Teens

Theatre Connect (TC) is a free after-school improv group that has been run by the UF Arts in Medicine programs since the summer of 2017. We have been providing LGBTQIA+ teens in north central Florida with a safe, affirming space to explore theatre and connect with one another.

UF Health Shands Arts in Medicine partners with local arts in health professionals, as well as clinicians from UF Health’s Youth Gender Clinic and faculty in the UF College of Education Mental Health Counseling training program to support this program. TC generally runs three seasons a year; a season consists of about eight two-hour rehearsals, offered once a week on Tuesday evenings. This fall, from September 27 – November 15, we will offer our 14th season of TC! Rehearsals will run Tuesday nights from 6:30 pm - 8:15 pm at the Hippodrome Theatre in Gainesville, FL and online via Zoom.

The facilitation of TC is built on a collaborative model where mental health counselors and applied theatre practitioners work together to create safe, engaging, and developmentally appropriate theatrical programming. All of our facilitators are background checked. Additionally, licensed mental health professionals participate in every rehearsal and are ‘on call’ for participants who need free mental health support. To be clear, this is not a therapy or support group, but rather a place for LGBTQIA+ teens to have fun together in a safe, supportive, and creative environment.

We invite you to share the attached flyer with your audience so that LGBTQIA+ teens in our area can learn about this program. They can join this free program by visiting our website and registering with permission from their legal guardians. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out.