Nathan Phillips said his son was lonely after their family arrived in Ypsilanti. He was home schooled and his mother was battling cancer.

“We felt like we didn’t know anybody here,” he said.

His son, Phillips said, found needed respite in the Ypsilanti Youth Theatre.

Through the non-profit organization — which has given more than 200 children a chance to explore theater and acting — Phillips said his son has found a place where he feels like he belongs.

“He volunteers his time, goes out and hits the hammer, and they gave him a place to be,” he said.

Phillips was one of three community members to speak to the Ypsilanti Board of Education Monday about the need for the Ypsilanti Youth Theatre to find a new home at a school building in Ypsilanti. 

The group has been based out of Fletcher School on the campus of Eastern Michigan University for the last three years. But Fletcher no longer has room to accommodate it, officials said, sending the program on a search for a new home.

Ellen Champagne, chairwoman of the theatre's Board of Directors, said she's been speaking with different people in the district about moving the program to a Ypsilanti schools building. She said more than 100 students from Ypsilanti have participated in the program, and it could help supplement the district’s art teachings.

“We think that we offer a supportive and educational theater experience in line with the public schools,” she said. “We could help fill the gaps with arts education.”

Ypsilanti Youth Theatre students act out a scene "Jane Eyre: Life at Lowood" in this file photo.

The theatre has performed 13 plays since its inception in 2005, including nine in the last three years. Volunteers do all work done on the shows, including set construction.

Champagne said the Ypsilanti Youth Theatre is willing to negotiate with the district to return some of its box office revenue or possibly offer a discount for Ypsilanti students in the group. The participation fee for the group is $40 per child, with about $10 necessary for costumes.

Rachel Egherman has a child in the eighth grade at Ypsilanti Middle School who is heavily involved in the program. She said he moved to a private school for a few years after not having a great start in elementary school, but his mind changed after he joined the theater program.

“Through the friendships he made in YYT, he asked us to go back into Ypsilanti Public Schools,” she said. “This is his second year back and he’s doing great, he has great friends and keeps continuing to grow and thrive.”

The Ypsilanti Youth Theatre allows children from ages 8 to 18 to join and has brought in children from 10 different school systems, Champagne said. She said at least 60 kids have auditioned for each of the group’s plays, and each child who auditions is given a part in the play.

Board President David Bates said the theater is a “fabulous program,” and he hopes to work out a solution quickly.

Trustee Andy Fanta said he's open to finding a room in a building for the program, calling on administrators and board members to find a home for them as soon as possible.

“I think the YYT is a slam dunk,” he said. “Certainly we have vacant rooms we can make available for them, we ought to do it as soon as possible. They are filling a needed and necessary gap for the youth of this community.”

Kyle Feldscher covers K-12 education for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at kylefeldscher@annarbor.com.