Dallas Childrens Theater Inc

DEDICATED TO PROVIDING PROFESSIONAL QUALITY THEATER TO CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES, ESPECIALLY TO THOSE WHO WOULD NOT OTHERWISE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPERIENCE LIVE THEATER.

DCT'S THEATER PRODUCTION SEASON OFFERS PLAYS FOR FAMILY AUDIENCES ON A WIDE ARRAY OF TOPICS AND THEMES, FROM FAVORITE CLASSICS TO WORKS BASED ON POPULAR CHILDREN'S LITERATURE TO RELEVANT, EDGY TEEN ISSUES AND CURRENT CONVERSATIONS SUCH AS SOCIAL JUSTICE. DCT OFFERS MUSICALS, DRAMAS, PUPPET THEATER, AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN TO DELIGHT AND INSPIRE ALL AGES. DCT ANNUALLY REACHES AN AVERAGE OF OVER 70,000 PERSONS THROUGH THIS OFFERING; MOST SIGNIFICANT ARE STUDENT MATINEE PERFORMANCES WHEREBY STUDENT SPONSORS (DISTRICTS OR PTAS) RECEIVE DISCOUNTED TICKETS AND FREE STUDY GUIDES ARE AVAILABLE ONLINE FOR CURRICULUM-RELATED ACTIVITIES. DCT ALSO OFFERS FREE OR DEEPLY DISCOUNTED TICKETS TO CHILDREN AND FAMILIES THAT DO NOT NATURALLY THINK OF THEATER AS A TOP FORM OF ENTERTAINMENT FOR VARIOUS REASONS INCLUDING HISTORIC RACIAL DISPARITIES, AND FOR TITLE 1 SCHOOLS. PRODUCTIONS ADAPTED FOR CHILDREN WITH SENSORY SENSITIVITIES CONTINUE TO BE A PART OF THE SEASON AS WELL. VIRTUAL VERSIONS OF ALL OF THE ABOVEMENTIONED OFFERINGS WERE PROVIDED DURING THE 2020-21 SEASON. IN NON-COVID YEARS, PROFESSIONAL ACTORS AND TEACHING ARTISTS GO INTO LIBRARIES AND OTHER COMMUNITY VENUES AS A WAY OF BOTH INTRODUCING THE CONCEPT OF THEATER TO SOME AUDIENCES AND CREATING A DEEPER CONNECTION BETWEEN DCT AND OTHERS. PRESENTATIONS CAN INCLUDE PERFORMANCES, HANDS-ON WORKSHOPS, EARLY SCRIPT READINGS, PLAY FOCUS GROUPS AND MUCH MORE. VISITS WERE CANCELED IN 2020 DUE TO SOCIAL DISTANCING MEASURES, BUT THE PROGRAM WILL RETURN IN FUTURE SEASONS.

DCT'S EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS INCLUDE THE DCT ACADEMY WHICH OFFERS YEAR-ROUND CLASSES TO MORE THAN 2,500 CHILDREN, AGES 3-18. IN-PERSON AND VIRTUAL CLASSES ARE OFFERED IN BEGINNING TO ADVANCED THEATER ARTS AND TAUGHT BY DEGREED THEATER PROFESSIONALS WITH FOCUS ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF IMAGINATION, COMMUNICATION SKILLS, COLLABORATIVE PROBLEM-SOLVING, AND PERFORMANCE TECHNIQUES. DCT ALSO HAS DEDICATED SENSORY-FRIENDLY CLASSES. ADDITIONALLY, AFTER SCHOOL DRAMA CLASSES ARE CREATED AND ADMINISTERED BY DCT TO BENEFIT YOUTH THROUGH AFTER SCHOOL SATELLITE THEATER ARTS PROGRAMS; HOWEVER, THIS PROGRAM WAS INACTIVE DURING THE 2020-21 SEASON DUE TO COVID AND SCHOOL RESTRICTIONS. THE CURTAINS UP ON READING PROGRAM IS AN IN-SCHOOL AND SUMMER PROGRAM INTEGRATING DRAMA, LITERATURE, LANGUAGE ARTS, SOCIAL STUDIES, AND HISTORY. DCT ARTISTS-IN-RESIDENCE COLLABORATE WITH EDUCATORS IN DALLAS AREA ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS TO INCORPORATE THE ARTS INTO THE CORE CURRICULUM FOR OVER 1,800 STUDENTS. SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES ARE OFFERED SO THAT DCT CLASS OFFERINGS ARE AFFORDABLE AND ACCESSIBLE TO ALL.

DCT ON TOUR IS A PROFESSIONAL TOURING COMPANY PERFORMING ANNUALLY FOR A DIVERSE AUDIENCE COMPRISED OF AN ANNUAL AVERAGE OF OVER 115,000 STUDENTS AND FAMILIES IN OVER 60 CITIES THROUGHOUT THE US AND CANADA. IN 2020-21, AS PART OF OUR ALL VIRTUAL SEASON, DCT OFFERED A FILMED RECORDING OF A PLAY FOR COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY THAT HAVE COME TO RELY ON THE HIGH-QUALITY PRODUCTIONS OFFERED BY DCT. KNOWN FOR PRESENTING FULL-SCALE THEATRICAL PRODUCTIONS TO EVERY REGION, DCT'S TOUR PROVIDES EXCEPTIONAL, COMPELLING THEATER TO ALL YOUNG PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY IN UNDER-SERVED RURAL AND INNER-CITY COMMUNITIES. IN 2006, THE TOUR TRAVELED TO CHINA, REPRESENTING THE USA AT THE SHANGHAI INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S CULTURE & ARTS EXPO. THE TOURING COMPANY HAS PERFORMED AT NUMEROUS PRESTIGIOUS THEATERS INCLUDING THE JFK CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS IN WASHINGTON, DC AND THE TRIBECA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER IN NEW YORK CITY. THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS HAS DESIGNATED DCT ON TOUR AS AN AMERICAN MASTERPIECE TOURING ARTIST. THE COMPANY HAS RECENTLY BEEN CALLED UPON TO PROVIDE SENSORY VERSIONS OF THEIR PRODUCTION THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.