Today, there are many different kinds of children’s theater. Some of them are national and international, and some are even locally-based. There’re the Chicago Children’s Theatre and the Children’s Repertory Theatre. Let’s take a look at what these organizations have in common.
Children’s Repertory Theatre
The Children’s Repertory Theatre was founded in Philadelphia by Dr. Hans Walter Wenkaert before World War II, and it has a long history of encouraging young actors and audiences to develop their creativity. The theater was initially a non-profit organization, but it was later expanded to include commercial productions as well as community groups.
The Children’s Repertory Theatre has been serving thousands of students in north Orange County since its founding. The company has been involved in five productions and hosted many award-winning festivals. It has been in existence since the fifth grade. It has grown to be a major cultural institution in the region. The company has served as a platform for healthy competition between students and has been a staple of the community for more than 35 years.
Many plays are themed around lessons for children. The musical Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer The Musical, for example, taught kids about friendship. The musical Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, on the other hand, looks at the family dynamic. Both shows teach children to respect each other and to be respectful of others’ experiences.
In Philadelphia, the 1950s and 1960s saw a rise in children’s theater. There were many commercial productions, non-profit community groups, and educational theater companies. The Arden Theater and Walnut Street Theatre maintained children’s shows, and the MacGuffin Theater and Film Company continued acting programs. The People’s Light Theater, and the Hedgerow Theater were two other non-commercial theater companies. In addition, the Philadelphia Young Playwrights worked with elementary school-aged students to encourage their creative writing skills and held a Playwriting festival annually.
The 1960s saw social change and progressive themes. This was when the theater’s educational role began to be recognized. The Philadelphia Youth Theatre, for example, staged productions of “A Clockwork Orange” and “Animal Farm.” Laurie Wagman, a theater artist, founded American Theater Arts for Youth in 1971. This organization aimed to teach children through the arts. This company featured high-quality productions with Equity actors. In the 1970s, the American Theater Arts for Youth produced “Black Journey,” a play surveying 300 years of African American history.
The Walnut Street Theatre opened as an equestrian circus in 1809. It was a theater within three years. It was also the first American theater to install air conditioning and curtain calls. The Walnut Street Theatre also helped pioneer child-specific theater. Theaters used to assume that children would attend plays for a general audience. In the 1890s, theaters started producing vaudeville shows specifically for children.
Chicago Children’s Theatre
The Chicago Children’s Theatre opened its doors in 2005 and has become one of the most important cultural institutions in the city. It is the largest professional theater company in Chicago and has a national reputation for its innovative, acclaimed children’s theater. The company’s productions feature the work and talent of renowned writers and performers and incorporate world-class design skills.
This award-winning company has received generous support from many organizations, including Goldman Sachs, the Paul M. Angell Family Foundation, the Ralla Klepak Foundation for Education in the Performing Arts, the Shubert Foundation, the Polk Bros Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Illinois Arts Council.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show, a live stage production of Eric Carle’s beloved book, is the Very Hungry Caterpillar Show. The show stars Jerrell Henderson and features 75 giant puppets. The show also features classics like “Brown Bear, Brown Bear,” “The Very Busy Spider,” and “The Ten-Rubber Ducks.” Its lobby is a comfortable place for families to relax and have fun, and there are also Eric Carle-themed crafting stations.
Chicago Children’s Theatre offers classes, workshops, and specialized camps. They also offer school residencies, field trips, and the Red Kite Project, an interactive theatrical experience for children with autism. The company serves over 8,000 adults and 20,000 young people each year and has partnered up with more than 250 Chicago Public Schools.
The Company’s mission is to create a world-renowned professional theater for children. The theater will present Carmela as part of its Season of Resilience in 2019. This musical is about a little girl who celebrates her birthday with her big brother. He takes her on errands. Making the right wish is the key to a happy birthday.
In addition to traditional shows, the company’s new walkie-talkies podcasts educate kids about different neighborhoods in Chicago. Each podcast is less than an hr long and includes a map and photos of highlights. The podcasts include vocabulary keys and recommended reading list. The series runs through December 2021.
Child Drama Collection
The history of children’s theater has its roots in the United States. It was nearly impossible to find a theater activity in the middle of the 19th century without professional assistance. By 1910, there were only a few amateur companies in the country. Then, the Association of Junior Leagues of America formed, which sponsored children’s theater conferences in Cleveland, Baltimore, and Chattanooga. The American Educational Theatre Association was founded a decade later. The children’s section was named one of the organization’s standing committees. The AETA’s regional council became a governing body and began to work under a new operating code.
The earliest forms of children’s theater began in the late nineteenth century, as the concept of protected childhood became more prevalent. The rise of the middle class, urbanization, and the development of child-related culture encouraged this. Theaters started to promote their offerings for children, as well as matinees that would appeal both to children and adults. Gulliver’s Travels was a production that was both for young audiences as well as adults, and was staged by the Grand Opera House in Chicago in 1891.
As the children’s theater movement developed, it changed dramatically. Children’s theaters have come a long way from the simple, whimsical plays of the late nineteenth century to the sophisticated productions of today. The authors were able to overcome the limitations of traditional playwriting and helped the movement evolve into a more complex and sophisticated form.
1958 saw the creation of a special program for children at The National School of Drama. UNESCO experts supervised the courses. Then, in 1959, the Bal Rangabhumi Theatre Company began to stage Marthi plays intended for young audiences. Children with special needs were helped by the National School of Drama’s Theatre in Education. The Nandikar theater, Calcutta, continues to serve underprivileged children. Zarin Chaudari, an internationally acclaimed actor, also runs a theater that serves speech- and hearing impaired youth.
In Terre Haute, Indiana, the Children’s Theater Company was founded by twelve women who recognized the importance of children’s theater. They sought to engage children in the arts and in the process encouraged others to do the same. The number of women who joined the organization eventually reached 27. In addition to the founding women, the first officers of the organization were Mrs. John J. Connolly, Secretary, and Will Kivits, Treasurer.
Children’s Theatre-in-the-Woods
The Children’s Theatre-in-the Woods, a performing arts center, is located in Vienna, Virginia. It serves as the main venue for performances. Its history dates back into the late 19th century and has received numerous awards for its productions.
The theater’s history is rooted in its commitment to the arts, and its performances are always interactive and entertaining. The performances include music, dance, puppetry, storytelling, and more. It’s a great family activity for children ages four and up.
The Wolf Trap National Park is home to the Children’s Theatre-in-the-woods. It is free to visit, and the venue is family-friendly. Two performances are offered every day on Tuesdays and Saturdays. Most performances are geared toward kids between the ages of four and six.
The Children’s Theatre in the Woods’ original mission was to foster a child’s love for theater and to develop his or her dramatic talents. The first productions of the Children’s Theatre-in-The-Woods were The Wizard of Oz and Treasure Island. In addition to this, children were involved in creating costumes, making sets, and more. The first season proved to be self-sustaining, and it proved that there was a demand for this type of theater.
The Lilith Bauer Scholarship was established in June 1977 as a living memorial to Lilith Bauer, a founder of the theater. The theater formed an alliance with Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College, Indiana State University, and other colleges. The college also formed the Peppermint Stick Players.