Teaching life skills through the medium of theatre, CTW teaches children and teens to think on their feet, tolerance, time management, teamwork, leadership, and building self esteem, all through the classes and theatrical performances.
The Classes
Main Company – 5 to 6 year olds
What child doesn’t love using his or her imagination? Younger children love this beginning theatre class that combines imaginative play while focusing on listening, follow directions, and respect for others and their ideas. The beginning of a lifetime of loving theatre!
Main Company – 7-10 year olds
These children start using improvisation, learning scripted material, characterization, miming, and utilizing stage direction. These children develop skills including: thinking on their feet, staying focused, and using correct vocal production and articulation.
Main Company – Ages 10 and up
All the world’s a stage for these young actors! These members explore improvisation, create their own skits, learn scripted material, and develop characterization. Participants continue to hone their acting skills – thinking on their feet, focus, correct vocal projection and articulation. Along the way, students are introduced to theatre production basics like stage direction, props, and scenery.
Teen Company
Teen Company members stretch their limits, working together to create the basis for a growing, community-based theatre company. These “theatre kids” continue to advance in both theatre and life skills, learning what it takes to work on the stage or behind the scenes. Emphasis is placed on learning skills needed as lead actors, stage managers, directors, and producers. In addition, they foray into the areas of makeup, costumes, sound, lighting, and set-building.
Specialized Classes
Throughout the year, CTW offers special classes such as musical theatre, puppetry, theatre makeup, stage dance, theatrical combat, and more.
The Shows
About the third week of classes, auditions are held for the upcoming Main and Teen Company productions. Anyone who participates in the classes is eligible to audition and will get a part in the show. CTW’s plays are major productions with colorful scenery and costumes. The Main Company performs traditional children’s theatre classics like Alice in Wonderland, Tom Sawyer, Stone Soup, Pocahontas, The Emperor’s New Clothes, and Charlotte’s Web. The Teen Company performs more advanced play material like Little Women, Twelve Angry Men, Murder in a Nunnery, Summer People, Chicken Heart, and Teach Me How to Cry. In the late Spring, Main Company and Teen Company students have the opportunity to participate in a specialized musical theatre class in preparation for the Spring Musical. Past Spring Musical performances have included: Phantom of the Op’ry, Luann, Lady Pirates of Captain Bree, and Live a Little.
