Hillsboro Youth Performance Ensemble (HYPE) ran for two years and is currently dormant.
HYPE was Bag&Baggage’s youth theatre and professional development program: a 6-month artistic training course for students in Washington County to learn from and work alongside performing arts professionals at no cost to them or their families.
This included:
- Training in ensemble theatre creation practices—culminating in the students devising their own original show
- Opportunities for mentorships with B&B staff and resident artists
- Immersion within practical experience in performance, technical, design, and administrative capacities
Working in every facet of the organization, students learned standards of professionalism while building their resumes and forging connections within the broader theater community. Our program offered young theatre artists a bridge between their education and the world of professional theatre, developing each individual’s skills by working alongside world-class designers, administrators, directors, and other experts. The program was run by Grayson Ashford, Bag&Baggage's Education Associate.
HYPE-Devised Shows
The 2024-2025 cohort of HYPE devised and performed Grizelda's Day Off in Hell (Michigan), a show based on inspiration from fairy tales.
Grizelda's Day Off was performed Saturday, May 10, 2025 at the Vault Theater.
The 2025-26 cohort of HYPE devised and performed Watch for Anomalies, a series of student-written vignettes inspired by the idea of memories from the past, and linked together with a framing device featuring the Fates. The students wrote all the text, as well as designed the costumes, lights, props, and scenic elements; they also directed the pieces under the supervision of Education Associate Grayson Ashford.
Watch for Anomalies was performed Friday and Saturday, July 17th and 18th, 2026, at the Vault Theater.