In the Spring of 2004, Irma Zardoya, former Superintendent for District 10, and Geri Hayes, former Director of Arts Programming for Region One approached DreamYard about creating quality, affordable art programming for teenagers in the Bronx. DreamYard enthusiastically answered the call, and in the Fall of 2005, The Bronx Acting Ensemble (BAE) was born with Nancy Klever, Program Director of DreamYard’s In School Programming and Karen Torbjornsen, DreamYard Theater teaching artist, sharing responsibilities as BAE’s first Artistic Directors. BAE worked out of Lehman College and performed an array of work using both classical, contemporary and original text. BAE members have performed at The Public, Pregones and the Lovinger Theatre (Lehman College).