THEATRE OF YOUTH ANNOUNCES NEW OFFICERS TO BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Buffalo, NY – September 14, 2022 – Theatre of Youth Company, Inc. (TOY) is pleased to announce new officers Paul Tyno, Stephanie Peete, Daria Shanchuk and Stacey Moar to the board.
“We are excited to welcome these four dynamic members into their new roles on the executive committee. They each bring diverse expertise and insight to our work,” said Executive Director Tracy Snyder. “We have just celebrated our 50th season. As we continue navigating through this pandemic, their leadership will enable TOY to enhance our programs and better serve our audiences in Buffalo and throughout Western New York”.
TOY welcomes Paul Tyno as Board President. Tyno works in AVP Sustainability Technologies with NOCO Energy Corp. In his role with NOCO, Paul is responsible for developing an energy/sustainability services company that provides a platform for our customers to optimize energy based on reliability, cost and sustainability priorities while coordinating those activities to drive savings, revenue and reliability. He is also Program Director with Emerging Cleantech Opportunity (ECO) Incubator. Launch NY’s Emerging Cleantech Opportunity (ECO) Incubator is part of the six incubators administered by the New York State Energy Research & Development Authority (NYSERDA), for high-growth cleantech companies.
Stephanie Peete is stepping into the role of Vice President and also serves at the chairperson of the Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion committee. Peete is the Business Partnerships Manager with Say Yes Buffalo. Stephanie earned a Master’s in Public Administration from Hilbert College, and graduated from Canisius College with a dual Bachelor’s in Urban Studies and Sociology. She currently volunteers as a Say Yes Buffalo Mentor; is an Advisory Board Member of Women United through the United Way for Buffalo & Erie County; is a co-chair for the Women of Color Summit; is a 2021 recipient of the Bar Association of Erie County’s Liberty Bell Award; and a 2022 recipient of Buffalo Business First’s Inclusion Diversity Equity Awareness Award.
Daria Shanchuk joined the TOY board in January 2022 and is stepping into the role of board Treasurer. Shanchuk is an experienced finance executive and management professional. She is a certified public accountant (CPA) in the State of New York, graduated with an MBA in professional accounting from Canisius College, and is the Finance Director with Berenson Hardware. Founded in 1957, Berenson is a local company that provides customers with a wide selection of stylish decorative hardware.
Stacey L. Moar, Esq. was appointed Vice President of the Board of Directors in 2020 and is now serving as Secretary. A graduate of Canisius College and the George Washington University School of Law, she is a Senior Vice President, Associate General Counsel with M&T Bank. Stacey also serves as an adjunct professor in the Political Science department at Canisius College and is a member of the Board of Directors for the Canisius College Desmond Law Society. She also serves as the President of the Board of Directors for the Amherst Skating Club, Inc. Stacey has served on the TOY board since 2017.
TOY’s Board of Directors also includes the following members:
Abigail Flynn-Kozara, Esq., Delaware North
Annie Deck-Miller, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center
Cynthia Giganti-Ludwig, Esq., Hodgson Russ, LLP
Elizabeth McPartland, Child and Family Services
Jillian Cascarino, FARM
Kathryn Holmberg, Elmwood Franklin School
Mary Czopp, Child and Family Services
Melanie Goehle, Independent Health Foundation
Natalia Rice, Say Yes to Education, Buffalo
William J. Wells, CPA, Explore & More Children’s Museum
The Mission of TOY
Theatre of Youth Company, Inc. (TOY) stimulates the imagination, nurtures the creative spirit and enhances the education of young people by engaging them in relevant, child-centered and professionally-produced live theatre programs. TOY believes meaningful childhood experiences in the theatre develop confidence in creative thinking skills, cultivate empathy and establish a life-long connection to the theatre.
Once Upon a Time’s Dan Torres Talks Zoom, Magic, and More!
Cast member Daniel Torres (Prince Felix the Fierce) talks about his role in SGT’s collaboration with Theatre of Youth, the interactive digital musical, ONCE UPON A TIME!
View Daniel’s whole interview with AM Buffalo host Melanie Camp HERE. ONCE UPON A TIME has been extended until February 28th and tickets are available for purchase Here.
For 48 years, Theatre of Youth (TOY) has created productions to stimulate the imagination, nurture the creative spirit and enhance the education of young people by engaging them in relevant, children-centered live theatre programs. More than ever, we believe children and families need a safe space to explore the worries and wonders of childhood. Today and every day, as an organization and theater practitioners who believe in inclusiveness, we have a responsibility to the future generations to stand in solidarity. TOY will remain intentional with the stories we share; stories which maintain diverse voices in programming, promote empathy and empower children to find their own voice. We strive to engage with our community to continue these conversations. Children are watching. Children deserve better. They deserve to be heard and represented. EVERY child deserves to have access to theater programming, to gain confidence, discover their personal values, and grow their creative spirit.
United we stand.
For Immediate Release: March 18, 2020
Press Contact: Tracy Snyder, managing director, 716-390-5874
THEATRE OF YOUTH PERFORMANCES CANCELED FOR THE REMAINDER OF 2019-20 SEASON
Buffalo, NY — March 18, 2020, 9:00 AM — Due to the rising community impact of the Coronavirus and the increased urgent mandates by the New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo and Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz, Theatre of Youth (TOY) has canceled all performances of its final production in the 2019-20 season: Go, Dog, Gog, from May 9 through June 6, 2020, in addition to the previously announced cancellation of performances of The Outsiders. Our administrative staff will be in contact with all ticket purchasers in June. As we navigate these difficult times, we thank all of our patrons, donors, volunteers, cast and staff for their support and understanding. Any and all further updates will be communicated via social media and on the homepage at our website www.theatreofyouth.org.
News and Reviews
“You may know by now that everything Theatre of Youth puts on stage is first-rate.”
Peter Hall, Buffalo Rising and WBFO’s “Theatre Talk”
“Any smart children’s theatre, such as TOY, knows when and how to speak to them (children) in a way that meets them where they are at, and nudges them along toward maturity.”
Ben Siegel, The Buffalo news
“Educational, funny and…. insightful, 3 1/2 out of 4 stars!”
Ben Siegel, The Buffalo news, for Junie B. Jones is Not a Crook. Read complete review here.