Everyday Theater Youth Ensemble, a company of African-American youth, electrifies audiences with powerful plays that illuminate issues surrounding substance abuse, violence and AIDS. Using music, rap, African oral traditions, dance and drama, Ensemble players create original productions based on personal experiences, such as the rap opera trilogy Outside My Window, about commitment to family and community, self-help and spirituality. Out-of-school youth are paid for a 40-hour workweek. They work year-round with Theater staff and guest choreographers and other consultants. Participants start with intensive training in acting, diction and music, among other areas. The Ensemble puts together a participatory production with complementary workshops for school children to encourage them to examine some of the critical issues affecting their lives. Theater skills are further developed through 6-week workshops led by Ensemble members in the schools. A summer program involves youth who have attended Everyday Theater programs during the school year. They work daily for 6 weeks, gaining new skills and substance abuse awareness through the help of a substance abuse coordinator. A performance is presented three times for parents and community members. As a tool for social change, the program is helping participants "better articulate information about the issues," says Artistic Director Jennifer Nelson. The program works, she notes, because "most of the people in the Ensemble are from the communities that receive the presentations."