After observing the excitement within the Pierce School community over the annual student play in 1999, two partners had an idea. Founders Jackie Borck and Cathy Jacobs decided to begin a larger performing arts program intended to bring students from across the Brookline community together. Beginning with a music director and a small bunch of students, these two founders launched ArtBarn Community Theater.
For 25 years, Artbarn, in addition to providing performing, directing and artistic opportunities, has been centered around instilling creativity and confidence into young people through theater.
Artbarn is divided into troops based on grade. Kindergarteners are offered the Sprouts Storybook theater program where they can begin to explore storytelling and the art of theater. From there, Artbarn has one troop of performers for every two grades. They each have three shows a year and rehearse once a week.
Executive director Matthew Kossack studied theater in college and joined Artbarn soon after graduation. Kossack said that he quickly developed a love for choreography and working with young people in the world of theater. In Kossack’s eyes, one of the special aspects of Artbarn is the division of troops that enables students from all corners of the town who have different theater experience to form a unique, tightly-knit community.
“One of the cool things about the Artbarn model, which differs from a lot of other children’s theaters, is we don’t have levels—it’s all grade-based,” Kossack said. “In our seventh and eighth grade troop, you’ve got an eighth grader who has been doing this since Kindergarten standing on stage alongside an eighth grader who’s trying theater for the first time.”
While offering a multitude of on-stage opportunities, Kossack said that this program is about much more than acting or directing.
“We claim that what we’re doing is putting on plays, and then ultimately what we’re really doing is giving young people this opportunity to discover themselves and find their voice and confidence,” Kossack said. “It’s a safe place to be as they’re discovering who they are [and] as they’re going through all the challenges that middle school can be for kids socially and discovering your identity.”
Kossack said that he has watched students leave the Artbarn program with newfound passions for acting and dance, a large growth in confidence or leadership skills that will help them in their next phase of life.
“For me, it’s the joy of getting to tell stories on stage. I just love theater and getting to go about that task with young people, [and] then see the way that it’s building them as humans, not just as actors,” Kossack said. “That’s very powerful to me.”
For senior Brett Schneider, Artbarn gave him confidence and stage experience, both of which were assets to him when he joined the debate team at the high school.
“I think the biggest takeaway I’ve had from Artbarn is it has really helped me improve my public speaking skills,” Schneider said. “Being on the [debate] team my freshman year, I felt like I had a leg up because I had already had performance experience.”
Following in the footsteps of her older siblings, senior Noa Suk began Artbarn in first grade and continued through 8th grade. In light of this anniversary, Suk noted that Artbarn has had a tremendous impact on its participants.
“It’s really a big achievement that it’s come this far and that it’s been shaping people’s lives for so long. So many kids learn so much from it,” Suk said. “It’s a pillar in the community and it affects so many people. I think it’s a really great thing to grow up with and have it [as] a constant during K-8.”
Artbarn uses a variety of spaces across Brookline to hold rehearsals and performances, and through the years these spaces have changed. However, Suk observed that the changes in spaces do not affect the strength of the Artbarn community.
“I remember a big time was when they used to be at Maliotis [Cultural Center], and then they weren’t allowed to use that place anymore, so they really didn’t know what to do,” Suk said. “It was this big shift, but it made everybody realize, or I guess it made me and my family realize, that Artbarn wasn’t a place, it was the community and the people, so really, the magic stayed when they moved places.”
Kossack said that he, along with other leaders and participants of the program, have been recollecting the memories of these last few decades, and working to ensure that this program and its impact lives on.
“The thing that we’re trying to communicate to the community is: let’s take this moment to celebrate 25 years,” Kossack said. “And also use it to ensure that there’s a next 25 that are as strong as the first 25.”
