Youth Program

Youth Theatre - Next Gen

Our NextGen Youth Theatre program is exactly what the name implies. The participants in our NextGen are the next generation to run theaters everywhere! We are helping to shape the future with an inclusive family environment where youth are empowered to hone the skills they are interested in pursuing, using a compassionate educational environment.

Our NextGen’ers can immerse themselves in all aspects of production with enthusiasm and fun through summer camps, youth productions, and shadowing mentors on mainstage and Black Box productions. OCT’s Next Gen’s mission is to give our surrounding community open opportunities to immerse themselves into the world of theatre. Whether it’s tech, directing, stage management, costuming, acting, or front of house, we want this to be an inclusive, fun and educational space for lovers of theatre and others who want to support the arts.

OCT Youth Theatre

Up Next In March 2026

Shrek, The Musical, Jr.

Everyone's favorite ogre is back in this hilarious stage spectacle, based on the Oscar-winning smash hit film and outrageous Broadway musical.

Beauty is in the eye of the ogre in Shrek The Musical JR., based on the Oscar-winning DreamWorks Animation film and fantastic Broadway musical. It's a "big bright beautiful world" as everyone's favorite ogre, Shrek, leads a cast of fairytale misfits on an adventure to rescue a princess and find true acceptance. Part romance and part twisted fairy tale, Shrek JR. is an irreverently fun show with a powerful message for the whole family.

Once upon a time, in a far away swamp, there lived an ogre named Shrek. One day, Shrek finds his swamp invaded by banished fairytale misfits who have been cast off by Lord Farquaad, a tiny terror with big ambitions. When Shrek sets off with a wisecracking donkey to confront Farquaad, he's handed a task — if he rescues feisty princess Fiona, his swamp will be righted. Shrek tries to win Fiona’s love and vanquish Lord Farquaad, but a fairytale wouldn't be complete without a few twists and turns along the way.