This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Arts & Entertainment

The Show Goes on for Longtime La Jolla Theater Director

Deidre Andrews celebrates her 40th year at the helm of the Young Actors Workshop.

A group of children actors will be performing The Wizard of Oz at this afternoon. Their performance will be the Young Actors Workshop’s third and final show of the 2011 summer.

For Deirdre Andrews, the workshop’s director, this marks the 40th anniversary of bringing theater to the children of the community. 

Each summer, Andrews holds three sessions for children hungry for theater. Up to 50 children sign up for each session. Instead of teaching through classes, Andrews takes a hands-on approach and thrusts her kids into a whirlwind two weeks of preparation for a show. In addition to the summer sessions, Andrews provides after-school acting programs at six different schools throughout the school year.

Find out what's happening in La Jollawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

A La Jolla native, Andrews has always had theater in her blood. 

“I would take siblings, and we did shows in the garage. A little garage theater,” Andrews said of her childhood. 

Find out what's happening in La Jollawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Andrews went on to study acting at the University of Southern California. After earning her degree, she returned to the area and decided to volunteer at . In 1971, she rented an auditorium for $25 a month and set up shop. The kids haven’t stopped coming since. 

“It’s been so much fun. My older sister did it before. So many kids have done it,” said Claire Andrews, an eighth grader who plays the plum role of Dorothy. It should be noted that Claire is not related to Deirdre. The name is just a coincidence. 

Four decades of Andrews’ influence has made a strong impression. The Young Actors Workshop is well known to children and parents alike. Flyers, emails and word of mouth have brought many young actors into the fold. But what’s special about Andrews is that not only do the young thespians keep coming back, but they’re also bringing in more kids. 

“My cousins were doing (the workshop). Now my little brother and sister are doing it,” says Molly Ricchiuti, an eighth grader who will be performing tonight.   

The workshop limits thespians to eighth grade and below, but that hasn’t stopped older kids from coming back. Many of Andrews’ former pupils return to volunteer as group leaders, helping prepare the younger generation for the stage. Some have even gone on to careers around the theater or as actors. 

“A lot of kids from Deirdre’s program are in high school theater,” said Brandon Hickman, a 16-year-old group leader, adding, “acting never appealed to me (before the workshop). Now, I want to pursue it as a career.”  

Every ounce of passion that Andrews possesses goes toward her children. And she has a lot of it. Her exuberance and spirit jump out at you when you meet her in her element. But perhaps her biggest impact extends beyond the stage. More than a theater director, Andrews wishes to instill life lessons in her children. A teacher of life, if you will.   

“I want them to lose self-consciousness and understand that actors bring joy. I want (children) to feel very confident in who they are.”

As if on cue, yet without direction, her students echo that sentiment. 

“Because of Ms. Deirdre, I enjoy acting. I’ve become more confident,” said Claire Andrews. 

The show is available to the public and starts at 4 p.m. Admission is free. The Mount Soledad Presbyterian Church is located at 6551 Soledad Mountain Rd. 

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?