ZUMIX may have begun 35 years ago as a program primarily for teens interested in songwriting, making beats, and learning to play guitar and other instruments. But for more than 20 years now, ZUMIX has also served younger students starting at age 7. They are known collectively, and affectionately, as “Sprouts.”
“Creating the Sprouts program grew out of a need,” recalls Madeleine Steczynski, co-founder and executive director of ZUMIX. “We had large numbers of younger students, some of them siblings of our older students, who wanted to be involved in our programs. We wanted to simultaneously create room for more advanced students and older students to have the support and the freedom to live into the fullness of their art and their voices, and make a place for younger students to do that too.”
Many of the younger students, Madeleine says, “were at the stage where they wanted to explore everything–dance, music, theatre, songs, costuming, and more. We wanted to give them the freedom to be playful and joyful, to be kids, while making this space their playground.”
From that initial theatre class–called Lights, Kids, Action! at one time–grew multiple forms of theatre, led by pianist and composer Laura Macias, who has helmed the Sprouts program since its inception. “I missed doing theatre,” Laura recalls, “and there was so much interest that we added a second class.”
Fittingly for the art form, Sprouts theatre has since taken on multiple forms at ZUMIX, including musical revues; classes focused on skits and scenes; a Saturday theatre troupe for older students; and Laura’s popular original musical extravaganzas, co-written and co-produced with the students. More recently, the Sprouts Cinematic Universe class has written, filmed and produced a trilogy of movies called HTRAE, which features students traveling between different planets (with cameos by multiple ZUMIX staff, parents and other friends).
“It’s a different show every time,” Laura says, citing the need to adapt each show to fit the strengths of that semester’s students. “The students contribute ideas, and I also try to relate the shows to current events and topics. I like to challenge the actors who have a little more experience, and also include the shyer ones. I try to create a lot of fun characters, and some characters who are so boring that they’re fun!”
Students often bring fresh ideas to the table, drawing inspiration from each other and their own experiences, and occasionally delving into the Sprouts closet–packed with costumes, props, a green screen and other bits of magic–to create something truly original.
Laura’s background in both piano and theatre, combined with the music therapy expertise of alumna Renee Marrone, eventually led to ZUMIX’s ukulele classes, now led by teaching artist Chris Lee-Rodriguez. Chris, who began teaching at ZUMIX during the summer of 2018, says he’s been amazed to see the transformation and growth that can begin with ukulele at ZUMIX.
“Ukulele is a really sweet instrument,” Chris says. “It’s easy to pick up, and it can be a gateway to other programs at ZUMIX. I’ve had some students who wanted to stay on after they aged out of the Sprouts programs, so we created an advanced ukulele class, doing more difficult music together. Several of those students have stuck with ukulele until they graduated high school. Seeing them be invested, in playing the songs well and doing a thing well, is very rewarding.”
Some Sprouts students end up staying on at ZUMIX, using their experience as a springboard to private lessons, songwriting programs, Z-Tech or other offerings at the Firehouse. Some teen participants also have the chance to serve as leaders for Sprouts programs: forming a pit orchestra for a show, or working as co-facilitators alongside Laura and others.
“The teens [like Daryanna, above] get to see themselves as capable leaders,” Madeleine says. “That’s important for them. And the Sprouts programs lay a foundation for the young people who will become anchors in the space when they’re older: they know our culture, and they’re part of building it. Those young people and their families are trusted allies in this work.”
“There’s a very singular approach to the work at ZUMIX,” Chris says. “It can feel a bit ragtag–you’re coming up with stuff on the fly. At the same time, people take the work seriously, but don’t take themselves too seriously. It’s very rooted in community. ZUMIX functions as a third space for kids and community members in a way that other places don’t, and you can see that in how people interact with one another.”
“About 10 percent of our teens have been coming to ZUMIX since they were very young,” notes Madeleine. “There’s a real sense of pride in that for them, a sense that this place is somehow foundational. Our Sprouts programs clearly fit in our overall ecosystem: they provide great experience and skill-based learning, but the Sprouts also bring an enormous amount of joy to our community.”
Drumming instructor Shira Moss, who joined ZUMIX after the pandemic, has continued to teach percussion classes for Sprouts, introducing them to multiple percussion instruments and rhythms. This summer, the Sprouts faculty are offering two-week summer camps with classes in theatre, ukulele and percussion, with assistance from three teen co-facilitators.
“It’s about meeting kids where they are, and serving the community,” Chris says.
Madeleine agrees: “It’s great to see the Sprouts working toward something: a show with songs or skits or a musical extravaganza. There’s a goal of putting on something excellent, while also getting to craft and create their own world. And I believe that that builds the kind of thinking that all adults need to navigate the world: creativity, joy, community, playfulness, but also a sense that the show must go on.”
