The Rosen PAC Opens Door for Young Performers

Minutes before taking the stage at the Rosen Performing Arts Center, the cast of teenagers and young adults huddled close to share feelings about the intense two weeks they’d spent together on Cabaret for a Cause.

One performer, his eyes damp with tears, confided that he was an outsider in his school, but here he felt accepted and connected, part of a theater family.

“We created a place where young people who might feel like they don’t fit in elsewhere appreciate each other for who they are,’’ said Mitchell Epstein, the 17-year-old creator and director of the uplifting musical revue that ran for three nights in August.

Cabaret for a Cause exemplifies the community-enriching experiences taking place year-round at the Rosen Performing Arts Center at the Wayne YMCA. For 38 years, the 408-seat theater has been providing a place for performers to develop their talents, and for audiences to experience the thrill of live shows in an intimate setting.

The venue’s name has been changed to the Rosen Performing Arts Center to better reflect the array of offerings, including plays, musicals, concerts and dance performances. Off-Broadway shows and other production companies rent the theater for rehearsals, and it’s also available for meetings and conferences.

While attracting headline performers like the Voca People, coming November 2, the Rosen PAC also nurtures children and young adults interested in performing. The center puts on three of its own productions each year and offers dance classes in ballet, tap, jazz, hip-hop, and musical theater, as well as acting and voice workshops.

“Performing builds self confidence, helping children get over fears of public speaking, and teaches them cooperation because it’s a team effort,’’ said Meryl Budnick, cultural arts director of the Wayne YMCA, a branch of the Metropolitan YMCA of the Oranges.

“While our theatrical productions always look great, it’s really about the process and building every child up, from ensemble members to leads,’’ she said. “There are no small parts and everyone gets a chance to shine.’’

Budnick’s two daughters have grown up at the Rosen PAC. Marisa Budnick, 16, first appeared as an Oompa Loompa in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory when she was six.

“We meet so many new people and every time I perform, I learn from the other cast members,’’ the Wayne Valley High School junior said.

Hayley Budnick, 14, said she tends to have a quiet personality, but acting “takes me out of my comfort zone and brings out different sides of me.’’

Epstein’s nonprofit, Stars in the Making, donated $6,000 raised through the Cabaret for a Cause performances to the Metro Y’s annual campaign, Budnick said. The Metro Y uses the money to provide Y memberships and services to children, families and seniors who otherwise could not afford them.

“Getting involved in extra-curricular activities like the Y can be life-changing for kids; I’ve seen it,’’ said Epstein, a North Caldwell resident.