Brick Door Productions is committed to making the arts accessible to everyone (Credit: Kevin Forbes)
When Kevin Forbes and Corey Ormondroyd first founded Brick Door Productions in Northeast Philadelphia a little over a decade ago, their desire was to bring the creative and performing arts to all people of all capabilities.
The nonprofit’s mission is to enrich lives through the transformative power of the culinary, visual and performing arts. Forbes is the artistic director and Ormondroyd the executive director.
Brick Door currently partners with Philadelphia Parks and Recreation. They work out of Vogt Center and Venice Island Performing Arts Center.
Forbes and Ormondroyd just recently wrote their own show called “Unwritten”. It was performed for two weeks in March at Venice Island Performing Arts Center.
In the show, three friends who love stories and a younger sibling are swept into a magical realm called Libraria after touching a magical tome at a book fair at their school
Brick Door also previously put on productions of “James and the Giant Peach Jr.,” written by Roald Dahl and directed by Ormondroyd and Forbes, and “Go Fish the Musical” written by John Jacobson and John Higgins and directed by Forbes and Casey Bilger.
Forbes spoke to Access Network about Brick Door Productions’ shows and classes and why access to creative and performing arts programs is so important for everyone.
“At Brick Door Productions, we open the gateway to artistic expression, fostering a vibrant community where creativity knows no bounds. We are committed to nurturing talent, inspiring innovation, and providing a sanctuary for artists and audiences alike to explore the endless possibilities of the human imagination. As a non-profit organization, we dedicate ourselves to making the arts accessible to all, igniting passion, dialogue, and a lifelong love for the creative journey,” he explained.
“We offer classes from “Broadway” fitness, theater, vocal, art, creative writing, film making, and so much more. One of our newest additions is a Mini Chefs Academy. This class is teaching kids kitchen safety and cooking and eating healthy. We take kids from 5+ (including adult classes).”
Brick Door Production events are mostly fundraisers to help buy supplies and cover production cost, he explained. They put on both kids and adult shows. No experience is required, and the cost is free.
“We are currently working out of Vogt Recreation Center, because it was the most feasible financially. We hope this partnership would help us grow our community involvement,” he added.
On the importance of the arts especially for young people, he said, “There is so much more that comes from these programs than just the tangibles. Kids can learn self-expression, there’s an educational and cognitive development element, emotional and social growth, and most importantly awareness. It gives kids diverse perspectives, histories and traditions, helping them become more open-minded and compassionate. At Brick Door, we want to create a fun, safe, and inclusive environment.”
Forbes added, “We have an inclusive Autism program in our production and performances, that we take pride in it. We have sensory performances and have kids in the cast. The show we just wrote was a part of our inclusivity.”
On what is the most satisfying part of his work with Brick Door, he said, “This probably sounds cliché, but I love what I do and being a part of the success of the kids that come through our program. I get those kids for a decent chuck of their lives and to see the men and women they have grown into, warms my heart. We have been so spoiled with all the kids and the families that have come through our programs. Also, I get to do what I love.”
How the community can help
Forbes said, “All of our staff are volunteer based, from teachers to stagehands. We have the community help with our local coat drives and food drives we do around the holidays. We would love to see more community involvement from the businesses, but that’s an area we have not been successful with.”
He added, “Our largest roadblock is funding. There is not much out there for community theater groups, and grants that are available, we are competing with professional houses. Another trend we have been seeing is the lack of enrollment with programs. Parents aren’t signing their kids up for much anymore.”
He continued, “For me personally I think a lack of space to call home is part of us not being able to live to the fullest potential. We have to perform in Manayunk because there are limited theaters in the Northeast, and they are way too expensive.”
For more information about Brick Door Productions, you can join their mailing list here.
