Poster Artist Has Roots in YATS

By Don Redman

Kahra Martinez comes from a family that has played a prominent role at Slidell Little Theatre for more than a decade. Her father, Fred, has served on the board of directors in various capacities, including until just recently Board President. Her mother, the late Fabian Martinez, was instrumental in getting the family involved in SLT, enrolling Kahra and sisters Kirstin and Kelsey in the Young Actors Theatre of Slidell (YATS) program and later co-directing YATS for years.

Today, Kahra is a web and mobile application designer in Hammond. She is a graduate of Southeastern Louisiana University where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Visual Art with emphases in graphic design, digital art and painting.

In addition to co-creating SLT’s very first website with her father, for the past several years Kahra has also donated her artistic talents to designing several posters for our main stage, YATS and mini-YATS shows. Her designs for the 2015 YATS season were simply fantastic and were a wonderful gift to a program that is so near and dear to the entire Martinez family.

Kahra can be found online at Kahra.com.

Fabian Martinez Memorial Fund To Help Kids Find Their Wings

Fabian Gras Martinez

It has been said that theatre gives you wings and perhaps no one understood that better than Fabian Gras Martinez, who had seen firsthand the power live theatre had on her own three daughters and who later dedicated so much of her time and energy and talents to bringing theatre to countless other children.

It is only fitting that a new memorial fund has been established in Fabian’s name that will provide an opportunity to underprivileged children to also receive their wings through participation in Slidell Little Theatre’s renowned youth program -- the Young Actors Theater of Slidell, or YATS. 

“She always felt that theatre is the perfect place for a child to learn about life in the world,” said her husband, Fred Martinez. “Honesty, responsibility, commitment, respect, courage, preparedness, trust, humility and delay of gratification are all things that are developed in theatre. She also felt that the children are the future of the organization.”

It was in the late ’90s when the Martinez girls were first bitten by the theater bug after participating in the Angels Academy, at that time under the direction Rita Stockstill-O’Sullivan. Determined to continue feeding the girls’ newfound artistic expression, Fabian brought the family to Slidell Little Theatre, including her recalcitrant husband, and plowed headfirst into various stage productions and, of course, the YATS program.

Fabian quickly became an integral member of the YATS administrative structure and along with Dayle McDonough, the YATS program grew in size and reputation as a premier kids’ theatre. It wasn’t long before Fabian concluded that the program needed to expand to include even younger children, kids as young as four, and thus the mini-YATS program was born.

Fabian passed away unexpectedly on October 3, 2014. The Memorial Fund was started shortly thereafter as a tribute to Fabian and as testimony of her love for and generosity to our young people.

“Fabian was driven by her love for children,” said Fred Martinez. “Our home was a haven for countless children who needed somewhere to go, whether it was an hour a day a week or longer. She was a nurturer who mastered the ability to offer wisdom, love and support to the children of family members, friends, neighbors, acquaintances and strangers.”

The Fabian Gras Martinez Memorial Scholarship Fund is currently accepting donations to help cover YATS tuition costs for economically disadvantaged children. All levels of contribution are appreciated. The Fund and applications will be administered through the YATS program and overseen by the Slidell Little Theatre Board of Directors.


Click here to be directed to an online donation page for the Fabian Gras Martinez Memorial Scholarship Fund.

Lonnie Haas Scholarship Recipients Announced

Three YATS Thespians Awarded SLT Scholarships

Three senior high school graduates of Slidell Little Theatre’s renowned summer youth theatre program – Young Actors Theatre of Slidell (YATS) – were recently awarded scholarships to help further their studies in the performing arts.

The only summer theatre program on the northshore to offer scholarships to graduating participants, Slidell Little Theatre’s YATS program has awarded more than $53,000 in scholarships since 2000 to local high school graduates.

The 2015 Lonnie Haas Scholarship recipients are: Lauren Short, Jamie Schmidt and Madelyn Thomassie, all graduates of Northshore High School in Slidell.

Lauren Short

Lauren Short

Lauren Short in
Legally Blonde

Lauren Short has been a YATS participant for the past three years. She has enjoyed her roles as one of Reno’s angels in Anything Goes, Deborah Sue in Bye Bye Birdie, and a Delta Nu/Cheerleader in Legally Blonde. She performed this year in Northshore High School’s production of Througly Modern Millie as a stenographer and the New Modern.

Lauren has been a competitive dancer at Danceworks for twelve years. She has trained in a variety of dance styles including ballet, jazz, lyrical, contemporary, and hip-hop. Lauren performed her first solo this year which won many awards. She was the captain of Danceworks Parade Marching Group.

Lauren graduated from Northshore High School with a 4.0 GPA. She was the Treasurer of the National Honors Society, Student Council Representative, and a school ambassador. Lauren will be attending the University of Louisiana at Lafayette this fall. She plans to major in psychology and minor in dance.  Lauren is grateful for the YATS program which gave her the opportunity to experience theatre and is for thankful the scholarship which will allow her to continue her love in the performing arts.

Jamie Schmidt

Jamie Schmidt

Jamie Schmidt has been involved in the theatre since she was 7 years old and absolutely loves performing onstage. Some of her most recent roles were: Muzzy in Thoroughly Modern Millie, Truvy in Steel Magnolias, and Paulette in Legally Blonde. The last main stage shows you would have seen her in at Slidell Little Theatre would be in Show Boat and Pippin. Jamie has also served as a counselor in the mini-YATS program for 3 years.

Jamie Schmidt in Legally Blonde

Jamie graduated with a 4.4 weighted GPA, ranking in the top 5% of her graduating class at Northshore High School. Jamie was the President of Thespian Troupe #7333 at NHS her senior year. She has also received numerous awards at NHS including Honor Thespian recognition, Best Female Thespian for two years in a row, Best Supporting Actress for two years in a row, and Best Leading Actress. Jamie will attend the University of Southern Mississippi in the fall where she plans to Major in Elementary Education and Minor in Theatre. Jamie would like to thank YATS and Slidell Little Theatre for the scholarship and being such a big reason why theatre is such an important part of her life. 

Madelyn Thomassie

Madelyn Thomassie

Madelyn Thomassie is an 18 year old graduate of Northshore Highschool. Madelyn has participated in 12 YATS shows. She was Vice President of the Thespian Troupe at Northshore High School her senior year. Madelyn has also been dancing for 14 years.

This year she has received honor thespian recognition and won best actress in a leading role for her work as Millie in Thoroughly Modern Millie. In previous years, she has won best newcomer and best supporting actress twice.  She has won a Ginny here at Slidell Little Theatre for her role as Mayzie La Bird in Seussical the Musical.

At the national thespian convention, she won second place for her musical theatre number. She also competed for a scholarship at the convention and won second place for a solo song and monologue. Madelyn plans to major in Theatre at the University of New Orleans.  Madelyn would like to thank YATS and Slidell Little Theatre for being a major part of her growth as an actress. 

Lonnie Hass was a leading force behind the founding of Slidell Little Theatre’s Youth Workshop program in the 1970s, serving as its first chairperson. When the Youth Workshop was restructured in the late 1990s, organizers envisioned a scholarship program for participants in the newly-formed YATS program.

As the youth program grew and monies could be set aside, the Lonnie Haas Scholarship Program was officially established to provide financial support for participants graduating from high school and going on to study the performing arts in college.

The YATS program is designed to introduce young people between the ages of four and graduating high school seniors to the stage.

The Mini-YATS program engages children ages four to eight for five days from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., during which they learn their lines, music and blocking, make their props and costumes if necessary. The week culminates in a performance on Saturday morning.

Slidell Little Theatre has been the north shore’s premier theatre since 1963. SLT is a 501 (c) 3 nonprofit, all-volunteer organization dedicated to engaging, educating, and involving members of the community in high quality theatrical productions. SLT is supported by a grant from the Louisiana Division of the Arts, Office of Cultural Development, Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism in cooperation with the Louisiana State Arts Council as administered by the St. Tammany Commission on Cultural Affairs.