Every spring, the School of Theatre Arts and Dance produces a Theatre for Young Audiences (TYA) play for elementary schools in Greeley and beyond. These bring diverse stories to young people, like the story of troubled kids in Holes, the joyous musical A Year with Frog and Toad, bilingual social justice plays like The Transition of Doodle Pequeño and experiential plays for very young children under the age of 5. 

After playing the title role in Tomato Plant Girl in 2008 at UNC, Sam Provenzano, ‘10, decided she wanted to pursue a career in TYA. She gained valuable experience during her senior year directing El Viaje de Beatrice and came back to UNC TYA as a professional guest director for All Smiles in 2023 and 2024. 

All Smiles was created by Provenzano and UNC Theatre Education Professor Gillian McNally, M.F.A., in fall 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia. They developed it at the Alliance Theatre, the leader in Theatre for the Very Young (TVY) in the United States, where Provenzano serves as lead artist and teens program manager. The play is based on discoveries made during their week-long collaboration as Provenzano led activities in improvisation and movement to explore how humans read facial cues. 

When asked how her experience at UNC helped shape her career, Provenzano reflected, “It completely changed my career trajectory. I enjoyed acting and originally thought that would be my career path, but once I experienced creating and performing for young people, it all clicked. All of a sudden, the thing I loved to do had a deeper connection to my community.” 

“A young audience isn’t a polite audience,” Provenzano continued. “They humble you quickly and you have to create to the top of your abilities. If they are bored, they will tell you. If they love it, they will scream with laughter. It’s the best. I am so lucky to have found TYA at UNC.” 

Provenzano was honored to mentor budding Theatre majors on their own journeys of community collaboration for youth as she returned to UNC as a guest director. She sees the university as her springboard into TYA and continues to rise in this field as she develops bold, imaginative new works for the very young.