Defining TYA

It can be difficult to discuss a topic when there is little consensus on the definition of the topic(s) being discussed. I've recently been involved in dialogue in which words that seem to have a concrete meaning, but really identify a more general area that allows for multiple interpretations dependent upon individual contexts and experiences that each discussion participant has with the term. One term that often falls into this realm is "theatre for young audiences" or "TYA", which typically defines those performances intended for "young" people. But what exactly does that mean? How young is "young"?

Last year, I was a member of the planning committee for a Forum on TYA (theatre for young audiences) at NYU and considered this topic in the Forum blog ahead of the weekend sessions (link here). The question I still have is "What is TYA?", or as the Forum sought to explore it, "Which way TYA?" The Forum sessions and workshops addressed these questions with a variety of examples of the direction and form that many productions for young audiences can take; however, I am still curious about the definition of the term.

During our planning, a colleague posed the the following questions to the group: "Does the category of 'Theatre for Young Audiences' create more problems than solutions for us? Does it carry a stigma? Are we too separate from the rest of the theatre movement?  In Germany, they talk about Young Theatre - a spirit that pervades young work, young performers, and a young/less conventional attitude to making theatre. This allows repertory theatres and main houses as well as what we would call more traditional TYA to share the same umbrella. And it means that there are fewer preconceptions."

I like this idea of defining the spirit of a theatre movement as opposed to the tangible qualities of the work. It also speaks toward the similarities among the various definitions of TYA as opposed to highlighting the differences. Whether we call it "Theatre for Young Audiences" or "Young Theatre" or some other incarnation of that phrase, what similarities exist among our work? Can we come to a consensus definition? Should we?

These are questions that are likely not new to your work. What similarities do you see in theatre that is labeled as "TYA"? What is your definition?