About Us
For Youth By Youth Theatre (or FYBY, rhymes with sky!) is a youth theatre company supporting artists of all ages and abilities. Our work is by young people and for young people. We consider young people to be ages birth — 24 years. We value the work in artwork, so we pay all of our artists.
Our mission is to empower artists of all ages and abilities with accessible theatre.
Our vision is accessible theatre among diverse (paid!) artists and audiences of all ages.
History
For Youth By Youth (FYBY) Theatre began in 2023, when Zoe A. Tyler founded the company in Phoenix, Arizona, while still a youth herself. FYBY’s very first production, Boy Meets Girl: A Young Love Story by Sam Wolfson, brought together queer and trans young artists ages 14–24 to create theatre on their own terms.
By 2024, FYBY’s reach had already expanded across the globe! The company collaborated with 15 artists ranging from ages 14 to 55+ and representing four continents: North America, South America, Europe, and Asia. That year, FYBY toured Seedfolks by Paul Fleischman, a play about community gardens, performing it in actual community gardens throughout Phoenix.
In 2025, FYBY Theatre relocated from Phoenix to Chicago, Illinois, marking a new chapter of collaboration and growth. The move welcomed Britt Nicholson as an artistic partner, and together Zoe and Britt spent the next year building a co-owned model where revenue from classes and professional development directly supports paying artists involved in productions.
2026 ushered in another milestone year. FYBY Theatre launched its official website and expanded its offerings to include youth classes alongside programs and productions for all ages, strengthening its commitment to accessible, community‑centered arts education.
“So entertaining! My little guy was engaged and couldn’t wait to start.”
— Caregiver, Creative Drama Class (3-6 years)
