Youth Outreach - Skinny's Gallery History

Our Skinny's Gallery Program has been in existence since the early 1980's and is named after Skinny Pryor, a gentleman who owned the Grand Central Theater on Austin's Congress Avenue. He was known for letting children who could not afford the price of admission into his theatre for free. In the spirit of Skinny's generosity, the Paramount Theatre enables underserved youth to enjoy the wonder of Paramount programming free of charge through community partnerships to:

• Provide tickets to over forty community groups
• Provide free study guides for each child
• Offer transportation to groups who can't afford it
• Serve free drinks and snacks to participants
• Provide free parking for all of our Skinny's Gallery partners
• Host a special check-in table to assist each group

If you are an organization serving underprivileged youth in the Austin area and are interested in becoming a participant of our program, please contact our Youth Outreach and Education Director, Nathaniel Miller at nmiller@austintheatre.org.

Complete Program Description

Theatre staff and volunteers work with more than 40 area non-profit organizations to bring at-risk youth and their families to the theatre at no cost to them. That's what Skinny's Gallery is all about: equalizing disparity by providing a seat at the table.

All youth are entitled to artistic exposure, but are frequently denied this right because they are held back by poverty. The performances they will see as part of this program can raise ambitions and create hope for those who cannot imagine a successful future. Access and exposure to high quality artistic experiences is critical for positive youth development, regardless of socio-economic status. We consider it our duty, as leaders in the Austin arts community and stewards of our mission, to provide this opportunity.

But this program goes beyond simply providing free tickets. We work one on one with our partner organizations to determine the needs of their group. If transportation is a problem, we work with them to provide transportation.

In some situations there is concern about whether the children coming have had enough to eat, so the theatre also provides them with drinks and snacks. When handicap accessibility is an issue, we provided orchestra seating in order to make accessibility easier.

Perhaps the benefit we are most proud to offer these children is exclusive opportunities to meet the artist whenever possible. Our experience has demonstrated that the chance to meet the artists brings these shows to life and cultivates a deeper level of comprehension for our young patrons.

In addition to the natural benefits of arts exposure, many of our partners have found that tickets to Skinny's programs serve as an effective incentive for behavior modification. Many of these children are going through difficult times of transition, and acting out is a common challenge among these youth. Using the theatre to inspire good behavior can create a positive cycle of improvement for many children. This incentive has replaced other types of rewards for several of our partners.

Theatre Action Project

Before each of our play-time shows for family audiences, our Skinny Gallery partners and season subscribers participate in a pre-show craft activity that is thematically related to the show. For example, for Seussical all of the children involved got to make Dr. Seuss hats.

We've partnered with Theatre Action Project, a non-profit in Austin that partners with schools and communities to lead unique and engaging arts programs which allow young people to learn critical life skills, gain tools for creative expression and have successful experiences that build self-esteem and confidence. You can learn more about their work at theatreactionproject.org.

Skinny Pryor

Many years ago, a gentleman named Skinny Pryor owned the Grand Central Theater on Austin's Congress Avenue. Skinny Pryor loved his own children and enjoyed being able to provide a good life for them. He had a soft spot in his heart for all children, but took a special shine to the kids who hung around outside his theater, hoping to get in but unable to afford a ticket.

Skinny found a creative solution to this problem. Believing in the importance of a work ethic, he gave each child who requested admission to his theater a simple task: “I’m really thirsty, so if you will go up the street and get me a glass of water, I’ll let you in to see the show.” And so they did. Kid after kid galloped down the street to the drugstore and asked for a glass of water, which they proudly displayed to Skinny as their ticket for admission. Over the years, hundreds of kids got inside Skinny’s theater for just a smile and a glass of water. Sometimes he would even feature “Freckle-Faced Kids’ Matinees.” Kids with at least five freckles would get in free. Skinny was said to have painted many a freckle on freckle-less faces!

In the spirit of Skinny Pryor, the Paramount & State Theatres open their doors to a philanthropic program called Skinny’s Gallery. This program enables the young people in the Greater Austin area to enjoy the wonder and thrill of the Paramount & State Theatres Kids Corner Series, Family Series and other special events free of charge!

The Paramount & State Theatres' dream is to expose thousands of young people each year to the finest entertainment in Central Texas, in our beautiful, historic theatre built in 1915.