A Noise Within draws 18,000 students annually for CETA award

The Pasadena-based theater company A Noise Within received the Professional Artist Award from the California Educational Theatre Association on Sept. 26. The organization granted the honor to recognize the group's artistic standards and its long-term dedication to theater education in California. The company is currently observing its 35th anniversary season.

Lea Madda England, the director of education at A Noise Within, described the timing as a major marker in the company's history. She noted that the education division has grown from a small initial effort into a network involving thousands of students, teachers, artists, and families. England said the award acknowledges the expansion of a program that began with a simple phone book and a few teachers.

The company was founded in 1991 by Geoff Elliott and Julia Rodriguez-Elliott. The founders used their final $3,000 to produce a play in a large, empty room in the former Masonic Temple in Glendale. They constructed a thrust-style stage by placing large wooden pews on three sides of the performance space. This specific stage configuration became a defining feature of the company's productions. Following the initial production, the group expanded its repertory to include six shows the following year.

The education program originated when a company member began cold-calling teachers in Glendale, Pasadena, and Los Angeles to organize student matinees. That early initiative has become a core component of the company's operations. Each school year, A Noise Within presents approximately 30 to 33 matinee performances. These events serve about 11,000 K-12 students between September and May.

The company also provides heavily subsidized tickets to college and university groups for evening and weekend shows. These additional performances bring the total annual student reach to approximately 18,000 students. Adult patrons frequently report that their first exposure to the company occurred through a student matinee ten, 20, or 30 years ago. England said her own introduction to the company was a student matinee of 'As You Like It' in the 2010s.

A Noise Within operates several other programs for young people. Its Summer With Shakespeare camp began in the mid-1990s with 20 students and now accommodates up to 150 students each summer. In 2026, the program added a Theatre Tech Intensive for teens interested in stage management and design. The company also reinstated Youth Theatre Classes in fall 2025 to offer school-year training in Shakespeare and other classic playwrights. Free programs such as the Teen Leadership Council and the annual Teen Monologue Festival serve local teens interested in acting, design, and administration.

The company holds four Teen Nites events during the season to allow teenagers to attend productions as individual audience members. England stated that the award from CETA recognizes the work of the students, teachers, artists, and educators who have contributed to the company over the past 35 years.