Plymouth Christian Youth Center

PCYC’s 2014 annual meeting on October 31 was a special occasion and the campus buzzed with excitement, pride, and gratitude!  The meeting celebrated PCYC’s 60th birthday where we honored our founders’ legacy and charted a vision for PCYC’s future in North Minneapolis.  The festivities and annual meeting began in the Capri Theater and continued over the lunch reception at PCYC’s main building. 

We thank all who joined us this year.  For those who were unable to attend, we hope you can come to the 2015 annual meeting and we share a few photos from our 60th birthday party here: 

Duane Swenson, former PCYC board member and staff, with his wife Willamae.  At the Capri Theater entrance is Kim Ellison, Minneapolis Schools Board member.

Karen Nasby, former PCYC Board member, and David Nasby greet Curt Johnson, former PCYC Executive Director.

Carl Griffin, former staff, Lloyd Jafvert, former Board member, and Shelby Andress, current PCYC Board member.

Anne Long, PCYC Executive Director, with guest Willie Dominguez.

Ruth Johnson, wife of former PCYC Executive Director Curt Johnson, with Anne Haugen,  former PCYC Women’s Auxiliary member.

Kathleen Butts, PCYC Associate Executive Director, with Alice Evans, wife of the late Bob Evans, one of the founders of PCYC.

Capri Theater Apprentices (PYC Arts and Technology High School scholars) welcome guests to the 60th PCYC Annual Meeting.

Karen Polzin, PCYC Board Treasurer and President Elect, presents the financial position. 

 Minneapolis City Council member Blong Yang.

Catrice O’Neal, Manager of Out-of-School Time programs with staffers Athena Curtis and Vanessa Gill along with Bernadette Christiansen, current PCYC Board member.

James Scott, Capri Theater Interim Director, with Dennis Spears, PCYC Artistic Associate.

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PCYC is proud of our success during the 2013/2014 academic year:

• 80% of the elementary school scholars in our Out of School Time programs achieved their reading goals. Over 50% exceeded their goals.

• 77% of the high school scholars at PYC Arts and Technology High School met their academic assessment goals in BOTH reading and math.  PYC has a 70% graduation rate or 68 out of 97 eligible seniors graduated. 

• 75% of our students received one-on-one support from our Health and Wellness team, and results from the Search Institute Developmental Assets Profile showed scholars improving in the areas of personal, social, family and community connections.

• 73 % of PYC scholars reported improved school satisfaction after being at PYC for 3 months or more, showing that PYC is “The Place to Be”.

If you would like to find out more about PCYC programs, please call 612-643-2000 to schedule a tour or visit.

Do you like to spot emerging artists before they hit the big leagues?  Then come join us for an Open Mic session on the first Monday of each month at the Capri Theater.  PCYC’s open mic sessions are aptly named Freedom of Xpression a.k.a. FoX to encourage the performance of all genres from jazz to beatboxing to dance. 

The next FoX is on Monday, January 5, 2015.  Please contact Crystal Ruiz at cruiz@pcyc-mpls.org or 612-643-2045 for information or just show up. 

Freedom of Xpression Open Mic was featured by TC Daily Planet, an online publication.  Click here http://www.tcdailyplanet.net/node/79534  to read the published article.  It is also featured below:

Capri Theater’s Open Mic offers a lab for performance talent in North Minneapolis

The young woman sauntered onto the stage, cracked a half smile then pulled the mike almost to her lips.  The lights dimmed, music piped in and the spotlight turned onto her.   The smoky voice that emerged from this girl was surprising as was the melody.  Here on the Capri Theater stage in North Minneapolis, an African American girl was singing a jazz song popularized by Billie Holiday, an American cultural icon of the 1940’-s.  The audience of about 50 young students, teens and middle aged folks hooted and howled encouragement when this aspiring singer ended her rendition.  She glowed with a big smile, waved, and bounded off into the wings. 

This performance is typical of the monthly Open Mic sessions at the Capri Theater (www.thecapritheater.org).  Held on the first Monday evening, Freedom of Xpression (FOX) provides a free platform for emerging and amateur artists to test and hone their art form.  Anyone who wishes an audience for her creative expressions has five minutes to unleash that talent at Capri’s FOX Open Mic.  Poets, rappers, dancers, singers, musicians have come on stage to get a no-risk and free opportunity to share their craft with a diverse audience.  Any art form is allowed and the range of expressions is wide.   Immediately following a hip-hop poet, a Hmong student played the queej (traditional pan flute) and danced to rousing audience approval at a recent FOX Open Mic. 

Poet Crystal “Azteca” Ruiz has hosted the Capri’s FOX Open Mic since late 2009. This emcee role is a natural outgrowth from Ruiz’s regular job as a student advisor at the alternative high school run by Plymouth Christian Youth Center (PCYC). Hosting the monthly FOX Open Mic also allows Ruiz to publicly share her creative impulses.  Soft-spoken yet firm, Ruiz is passionate about giving young people a chance to develop their talents and test their alter egos on stage.  Ruiz encourages the high school students at PCYC to perform at FOX Open Mic.  She especially reaches out to female students.  Many high schoolers have taken up Ruiz’s offer; some for the first time, but many reprising or honing their earlier FOX Open Mic performances.   

Since its inception more than five years ago, FOX Open Mic has drawn performers mainly from neighborhoods that surround the Capri Theater.  Many North Minneapolis performance groups have tested and refined their material here.  One such group is the “Why So Serious” hip-hop collective of North Minneapolis.  Collective member, Marquis “Eddiecane” Harris, said performing more than a dozen times at Capri’s FOX Open Mic gave them the exposure they needed.  “Why So Serious” has produced several albums since 2010.  

In this way, Capri Theater’s FOX Open Mic is an incubator for performance talent.  This harkens back to the early 1970’-s when a young performer later known as Prince first performed a concert on the same stage.  Today, FOX Open Mic performers sign up for slots half an hour ahead of the monthly 6 to 8 p.m. event.  Slots are allotted on a first come, first served basis for any art form.  The only restriction is obscene language.  If it is used at all, the Capri Theater’s technical staff cuts off the microphone.  Host Ruiz reminds performers of this rule when they sign up for their five-minute slot. 

Each Capri Theater FOX Open Mic also features 15-minute performances from artists whose art forms are more developed or well-known locally and regionally.  Featured artists have included B Girl Be co-founder Desdamona and R&B singer/songwriter Gabrielle Samone.  Host Crystal Ruiz points out that featured artists give novice performers a sense of the arc of artistic development and helps to inspire the emerging performers to keep perfecting their art forms. 

Ruiz is excited that the October 7 FOX Open Mic will feature PCYC High School senior Daniel Reyes, who grew up in New York.  Reyes will be singing several tunes he wrote while battling homelessness.  Despite his living circumstances, Reyes is optimistic about his future.  This emerging performance artist wants a career as a chiropractor to supplement his passionate pursuits of music and fashion in his free time. To that end, Reyes is focusing on his high school studies while writing songs dedicated to his girlfriend Nicole and trying hard to secure safe and secure shelter.  Reyes’ story is one of many inspirational ones that you’ll experience frequently at Open Mic and PYC. 

Inspired to learn more about the Capri Theater’s Freedom of Xpression Open Mic?   Check out the details at www.thecapritheater.org or contact Host Crystal Ruiz at cruiz@pcyc-mpls.org or 612-643-2045.

PYC Arts and Technology High School is a friendly and safe community that promotes student achievement. Teachers integrate art and technology into our classrooms to increase student engagement and academic growth in all subject areas. Our social workers will help you find solutions to the challenges that keep you from gaining your credits toward graduation.   

PYC offers hands-on workshops in theater and acting, web design, visual arts, and music and video production. Our staff cares about your success, our artists spark your creativity and our educational technology broadens your horizons.

Students set and achieve goals to prepare for college and their future careers at PYC. You don’t have to be an artist at all.  All you need is to care and take action today for your academic and life success. 

To enroll, stop by the front desk at PCYC at 2210 Oliver Avenue North, or contact Leah Hurley by calling 612-643-2018 or emailing her at: lhurley@pcyc-mpls.org

PCYC is proud to share the news that the 2014 Class is the largest ever in our history. 

The May 30 Graduation Ceremony at PCYC’s Capri Theater was a joyful event for the graduates, families and friends.  Community leaders including Superintendent Bernadeia Johnson of Minneapolis Public Schools and State Senator Bobby Champion joined PCYC Board Directors, teachers and staff for the occasion.  

Artistic associate Kevin West gave the commencement address and thrilled everyone with his rendition of a popular Whitney Houston song. 

We share the pride of all 68 graduates and wish them well as they embark on their bright futures.  The class deserves kudos for completing their high school education against all odds! 

Heartiest congratulations to the beautiful Class of 2014! 

For many people in North Minneapolis, the Capri Theater is a landmark. Some remember watching movies while others recall that Minnesota’s own Prince played his early concerts at the Capri.  

As owner and operator of the Capri,  PCYC continues the building’s legacy in nurturing the performing arts whether in young people or mature professional artists. 

We are pleased to share an excellent article about the Capri and its impact on Minneapolis here:  http://blog.thecurrent.org/2014/01/then-and-now-the-capri-theater-where-prince-played-his-first-solo-show/

Looking for a more meaningful way to enrich the lives of North Minneapolis children?

Make a donation to help children and youth to succeed in school, strengthen the North Minneapolis community, and support the vitality of arts at the Capri Theater.

Just click on our Network for Good button, make your gift and be sure to include the name of the gift recipient in the “dedication” area.  You also have the option of sending an e-card to notify the recipient of your gift, or to print out a card for mailing.