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MISSION & VISION:
Founded in 1999 in NewYork City, and in 1989 in Los Angeles, the Children’s Theatre Company is a non-profit 501(C)(3) educational theater organization and publisher of over 15 original musicals designed to complement an ethical and social studies curriculum for young audiences. “Building Character Onstage”, the Company fosters the belief that, through the arts, young people can be agents of healing in the world. Committed to character and ethical development, CTC is rooted in the belief that through the incomparable magic of theater combined with a robust ethical education curriculum, children and youth can indeed become the voices of positive change.

CTC promotes theater as a tool for active and analytical learning (rather than prescribed and passive), and is centered on a pedagogical and community development approach which emphasizes a culture of inclusivity and service through arts.

ASSET-BASED COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT (ABCD):
CTC’s Asset-Based Community Development program (ABCD) considers local assets as the primary building blocks of a sustainable community
development. Building on the skills of local residents, artists, the support of local associations, the ABCD approach draws upon existing community
strengths to build a stronger and more sustainable community. As such, CTC provides comprehensive onsite and off-site training, curriculum and a comprehensive community development kit, along with its critically acclaimed catalogue of musicals- for use by theater practioners, local artists and community builders.

Based on the ABCD approach, Children’s Theatre Company Headquarters and Flagship Chapter in New York City partners with various like-minded organizations, such as the the Interfaith Council, UNICEF, the Baha'i International Community and other NGOs to form strong alliances that will support its ethical and citizenship education program.

CTC has numerous public school theater-residencies, over nine Chapters nationwide- serving over 4000 students. The Company provides its award-winning musical-theater-catalogue to community-based organizations, in both the US and abroad.

BIO:
The Children's Theatre Company has appeared annually at the United Nations for Heads of State and presented alongside Nelson Mandela for UNICEF. Recent television appearances include Sesame Street, Good Morning America, the Verizon Literacy Awards with James Earl Jones, NBC’s Today Show, PBS’s Reading Rainbow; Recent Film Credits: Oscar Winning Film, “Precious”. [Read More]

PROCESS, PROGRAM, PEDAGOGY, PRACTICE

Artistic Process
CTC exists to create, adapt and present professionally written musical theater works that explore socially relevant and challenging issues which face youth and children in a global community. CTC’s process involves perceiving and interpreting the significance of current events in light of an appropriate historical perspective- and in parallel with Learning Standards in Social Studies and Language Arts Curriculum, finding an artistic expression of that perspective through a multi-disciplinary approach utilizing drama, dance, music and art. Forming a common vision of a desirable collaborative presentation based on shared values and principles, and articulating this in a way that inspires and challenges the work both artistically and intrinsically.

Program
Four age groups (5-19 years old) participate in full theatrical productions produced and performed for the general public. Experiential learning
through the incomparable magic of theatre allows each production team to develop a keen sense of citizenship alongside their artistic achievements. CTC promotes theater as a tool for active and analytical
learning (rather than prescribed and passive). By exploring socially relevant and challenging issues which face a global community, a CTC theater residency allows children and youth to develop their interpersonal and critical thinking skills, while considering the world which they will someday inherit. CTC’s process involves perceiving and interpreting the significance of current events in light of an appropriate historical perspective- and Ynding an artistic expression of that perspective.

THE MISSING LINK: Elevate, Educate and Stimulate
CTC has successfully integrated its ethical-education theater residencies with the State Learning Standards for Social Studies and Language Arts. Placing the SEVEN C's at the center of learning, CTC theater-residencies are designed to fill the gap in academic education through: Character building, Collaboration, Creativity, Community Service, Current Affairs, Critical thinking and Citizenship. By combining CTC’s unique musical-theater catalogue with a multi-disciplinary theater-arts program that includes a robust ethical education curriculum, a CTC residency creates a culture of inclusivity, learning, service and social action through arts.

Pedagogical Process

Practice: Diversity & Inclusion