Today's story

Community Leader: Maureen Webb and Donalda Weaver, Project Limelight

Photographer: Janis Nicolay

Project Limelight gives children from the Downtown East Side free access to a performing arts program. Here, they bring their creativity and enthusiasm to a safe place where they can co-create an artistic community.

Seeing the smiles and hearing the laughter of the Limelight children is what keeps us all inspired to contribute to this community. In creating a performance, the rehearsal process and final production make a lasting impact on the lives of the young participants – every time we experience that, we are compelled to continue.

Not only does the program foster self-esteem and inspire confidence in the participants, it also creates a bonding experience for children from different schools. In turn, the performances bring entertainment to their community and build pride in the eyes of their families. Afterward, touched by the performance, love flows through an entire audience and into the extended community.

For The Love Umbrella Project we decided to schedule our shoot after a two-hour theatre rehearsal. Janis Nicolay was the perfect photographer to work with our 18 high-spirited young performers. The kids were troopers and Janis successfully rallied what energy they had in reserve. She was so patient and kind, and managed to get the perfect shots, capturing the passion, energy and commitment of the Project Limelight performers.