Valley Youth Theatre, Phoenix, Guide du visiteur et quoi faire à proximité

Valley Youth Theatre is a performing arts company for children and teenagers at 517 N 1st St in downtown Phoenix, Arizona. It is a working theatre where young performers take the stage, set among the offices, galleries and venues of the city centre. It makes an easy and rewarding stop on a walk through downtown.

The story behind it

Valley Youth Theatre is a living arts venue rather than a monument, so its story is told in its productions and in the young performers who grow up on its stage. The history that surrounds it comes from the city itself, and Phoenix is the birthplace of one of the most consequential cases in American legal history.

In 1963 Ernesto Miranda was arrested in Phoenix and confessed during police questioning without having been told of his right to remain silent or his right to an attorney. He was convicted on the strength of that confession, and his appeal reached the U.S. Supreme Court. In 1966 the Court ruled in Miranda v. Arizona that police must inform suspects of their rights before interrogation. Those warnings, known as Miranda rights, became standard practice across the country.

What to look for

• Look for the posters and signage announcing the current production, which tell you what young audiences and performers are working on right now.
• Notice how a family-focused theatre sits among the larger downtown buildings, a reminder that the city centre is a place for arts as well as business.
• Watch for families arriving before a show, which is when the street outside is at its liveliest.
• Look up and down 1st Street to see the mix of modern towers, older low-rise buildings and public art that gives downtown Phoenix its character.

Tips for your visit

• Plan about 10 to 15 minutes if you are admiring the building from outside as part of a walk.
• To see a performance, check the current show schedule and booking details before you go, since programming changes.
• Go in the morning or late afternoon in warmer months, when walking downtown is more comfortable than at midday.
• The theatre is within walking distance of other downtown attractions, so it combines well with a longer stroll through the centre.

See it on a quest

Murder Mystery: Death in the Shadows in Phoenix is a good way to see this part of downtown on foot. You reach the theatre as one stop on a longer route through the area, the app tells you about each place as you arrive, and you solve a puzzle on the spot. One ticket covers the whole group.

Phoenix Detective Mystery: Infiltrate a Secret Society. suits readers who like a detective theme with their sightseeing. You walk between the places on the route, hear about each one as you get there and work out a puzzle in front of you. One ticket covers the whole group.

Lucky Treasure Hunt: The Golden Shamrock in Phoenix turns the same streets into a treasure hunt. You can start whenever you like, with no guide and no group to join, and the app explains each stop as you reach it. One ticket covers the whole group.