Kaleidoscope Theatre for Young People (KTYP) has been the driving force behind professional family entertainment on Vancouver Island for almost 50 years. Through a season of mainstage productions, KTYP inspires young people through our innovative, imaginative, and original theatrical experiences. Young People ages 4 through 18 can discover their creativity through classes in Musical Theatre, Acting, and Voice with instruction at Kaleidoscope’s Performing Arts Studio, the premiere theatre training school for young people in Victoria. Kaleidoscope Theatre for Young People is a Professional Theatre Company, a member of the Professional Association of Canadian Theatres, and a Charitable Not-for-Profit organization. Founded in 1973, Kaleidoscope Theatre for Young People has for over forty years served as Victoria’s premier producer of Theatre for Young Audiences. The company was born when journalist Barbara McLauchlin and actor Paul Liittich sat down together in Victoria in 1973 to write an application for assistance in offering free theatre workshops to children. Since then, Kaleidoscope has survived and endured as an important force in the arts community on Vancouver Island. Kaleidoscope’s first project, in 1973, was a free drama workshop consisting of introductory classes for children in acting, set design, and costumes. Later that year, Kaleidoscope toured two short plays, The Pirate Show and The Magic Stone, to local schools. Kaleidoscope’s artistic mandate, formulated in 1974 and faithfully upheld to this day states that the company’s raison for being is to “provide innovative and exploratory drama for young people”. Kaleidoscope’s goal is to make theatre that surprises, challenges, and engages young people, both intellectually and aesthetically.