As Campaign Hits $13.8 Million Mark, Nationally Known Pastry Chef from Maine Credits Children’s Theatre for Success

Crediting the influence of The Children’s Theatre of Maine on their son, Zac, Jon and Susan Young of Falmouth have joined more than 400 donors in naming theatre seats, pavers or exhibit components in honor of a loved one to support the Children’s Museum & Theatre of Maine’s Imagine Capital Campaign. Based in midtown Manhattan, the 38 year-old Zac Young is now known as one of America’s top pastry chefs. Maine families, like the Youngs, are stepping forward to honor or memorialize loved ones and generously support the campaign to complete the new 30,000 square foot facility at Thompson’s Point. The campaign to fund design and construction of the new facility has raised $13.8M of the $14M goal. With the help of the community, the Museum & Theatre plans to finish the campaign before spring. 

Zac credits his experience in The Children’s Theatre of Maine for influencing his achievement as a pastry chef recognized for his frequent contributions to Food Network, Netflix, and Bravo shows, and his over-the-top desserts featured in restaurants nationwide, and how direct-to-consumer line of PieCaken holiday cake.

Zac Young, nationally known pastry chef and alum of Children’s Theatre of Maine program.

“Naming theater seats in Zac’s honor in the new facility seemed appropriate because children’s theatre was such a big part of his life. It saved him, shaped him, taught him to read since he wanted to know the scripts, helped him figure out where his body was in space, how to be part of a team. What a treasure [former theatre director] Lisa Difranza was for him, a kid who didn't really ‘belong’ anywhere else. He fit in the theater. He ended up going to conservatory for musical theater for both high school and college. We learned about the seat naming opportunity from Maddy Corson,” said Sue Young, referring to Madeleine Corson of Yarmouth whose generous donation named Maddy’s Theatre, in honor of her birth mother who bears the same name.

Zac said, “The donation to the Imagine Campaign is meaningful to me because of the vital importance of having a safe space and an arts education for me and for all kids when I was growing up. It’s not about the performance. No. It’s about identity, life skills, and creating a sense of belonging. The fact that my parents named seats in my honor and that they will be in the new Maddy’s Theatre, that feels like a homecoming to me. Children’s theatre was the beginning of my life. It was the beginning of me finding me.”

Zac Young as the emperor in the Children’s Theatre of Maine production of Emperor’s New Clothes, 1996.

Zac started children’s theatre in 1990 in third grade with a show called Rise of FTR (Frank the Rabbit). This play was written by the then-winner of the Children Theatre of Maine’s Young Playwright Contest, Sam Carner, who is now an award-winning musical theater writer also based in New York City. 

Zac said, “Simply put, I would not be here without the Children’s Theatre of Maine. Not only did it provide a community and a support system, it gave me life skills and a way of thinking, a freedom that I wouldn’t have found anywhere else. Outside-the-box thinking that I gained there carries through to this day. As a pastry chef, when I’m thinking about a new item, I’m thinking about the theatricality of it. I’m asking myself if it’s as ‘big’ as I can make it? Can I make it provocative? How can I play with it? I ended up working in food media and, sure, the poise and articulation from theater are important, but that’s just the superficial layer. The real core of it was the personal value that I got. All the messaging that said, ‘You are enough.’ ‘You are respected.’ ‘Trust your instincts.’”

Jon and Sue Young (right) with their son Zac and daughter Alisa Andrews.

Each season, Maddy’s Theatre at the Children’s Museum & Theatre of Maine will produce and host various types of productions, including: Theatre for Young Audiences (TYA), Intergenerational Theatre, and Youth Ensembles.  TYA productions will showcase professional adult actors in performances for the entire family, as well as tour to schools and other organizations across the state and will support early literacy development. Maddy’s Theatre audiences will also experience Intergenerational Theatre that explores aspects of the human experience, particularly through a child’s perspective. Intergenerational plays foster empathetic response, helping family audiences imagine a life other than their own and rehearsal processes facilitate mentorship opportunities between young actors and adult actors. Lastly, Maddy’s Theatre Youth Ensembles prioritize process and participation, ensuring a collaborative and distinct model of synergy and teamwork. Casting is flexible and no child is turned away from acting in this ensemble program. 

“Live theatre has the power to increase empathy, tolerance, and social awareness. The Museum & Theatre strives to create an inclusive and welcoming environment where young actors feel safe to explore their truest self,” said Reba Askari, Maddy’s Theatre Artistic Director.

The full Alumni Spotlight interview with Zac Young can be read here: https://www.kitetails.org/kite-tales/2021/3/1/alumni-spotlight-zac-young

About Maddy’s Theatre

Just shy of its 100 year birthday, the Children’s Theatre of Maine is opening its new home: Maddy’s Theatre. Designed as a place to truly “unleash magic” and inspire joy and discovery, Maddy’s Theatre is a 99 seat auditorium designed with a young family audience in mind. Equipped with a teaching tech booth, a sound proof viewing gallery and its own dedicated lobby and backstage space, Maddy’s Theatre will host diverse performing artists. The theatre’s core programming, partnerships, and collaborations are designed to engage young audience members, inspire imagination, collective action and community building. Theatre programming strives to reflect diversity of the state of Maine through staff, actors, design team, participants, audience and story. 

About Zac Young

Born in Portland in 1982 and currently living in midtown Manhattan, Zac Young is recognized as one of America's top pastry chefs for his playful, over-the-top desserts featured in restaurants nationwide, and for his direct-to-consumer line of PieCaken holiday cakes. In 2010 he broke onto the food television scene with his final four finish on Bravo's Top Chef: Just Desserts. His signature wit and pastry wisdom have made him a fixture on Food Network shows such as "Halloween Baking Championship" "Chopped" and "Beat Bobby Flay" as well as Netflix's "Nailed It" and 7 seasons on The Cooking Channel's "Unique Sweets".
FMI: http://chefzacyoung.com/

One of Zac Young’s Piecaken creations.