Children's Theatre
Tufts Children's Theater encompasses Magic Circle Theater,
Creative Arts/Jackson Troupe in the summer, and Tufts Scene Study
and Collins Players during the school year. All programs focus on
theater and improvisation and strive to challenge and enhance each
child’s creative powers. The programs are based on the idea that
every child has much to contribute to the creative process.
Magic Circle Theater
Magic Circle Theater is New England’s oldest theater by and for
children, in session daily from 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. for six weeks in
the summer. The company of young actors meets each day to rehearse,
construct scenery, create costumes and perform. The summer’s
activities climax during the 4th, 5th and 6th weeks with a public
performance of three plays in repertory for children in the Balch
Arena Theater. Magic Circle Theater emphasizes the importance of
those backstage as well as those onstage. Each student will appear
onstage in one of the three productions and will assume a technical
or backstage role in the others. Students will tackle a variety of
technical positions from stage managers to ushers. Each day in the
Magic Circle program is structured to include time for workshops in
acting, music, dance, production design and construction.
View the 2008 Summer
Performances >
Creative Arts/Jackson Troupe
Creative Arts/Jackson Troupe is a unique summer program that
introduces younger children to the basic principles of visual and
performing arts in a non-competitive environment. Creative Arts is
for children currently in grades 2 & 3; Jackson Troupe is a more
challenging experience geared for the older children currently in
grades 4 & 5. The program meets each day from 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
Creative Arts and Jackson Troupe will meet in two, three week
sessions. The program will continue to offer a Before Care and After
Care option at an extra cost of $8.00 per hour beginning at 8:00
a.m. and ending at 6:00 p.m. for both sessions except the last day
of camp. Through daily, hands-on workshops in music, art, creative
movement and creative drama, each child will discover and strengthen
his or her own powers of creative self-expression. In addition,
there are often additional workshops scheduled combining the
disciplines of these four core workshops.
Tufts Scene Study
This program is an eight month commitment for serious acting
students in grades 10-12 with prior acting experience. Meeting on
Saturday mornings from 9:30-noon, emphasis is placed on character
work, analysis, and interpretation of roles. Work focuses on the
fundamentals of stage speech, movement and projection. TUFTS SCENE
STUDY produces two productions -- a collection of scenes in December
and a final production in May. Both productions take place in the
Balch Arena Theater. TUFTS SCENE STUDY is limited to 20 young actors
by audition held in late-September. Audition information and
requirements will be provided upon registration.
Collins Players
A drama program for young actors in grades 7-9, COLLINS PLAYERS
explores the fundamentals of theater production with particular
focus on improvisation, character development, and stage movement.
Meeting on Wednesday’s from 4-6 p.m., the program works toward a
full-length production, which takes place in March in the Balch
Arena Theater. Admission to COLLINS PLAYERS is by audition in
late-September. Audition information and requirements will be
provided upon registration.
Staffing
For the programs will be under the direction of Dr. Luke Jorgensen,
Artistic Director, Stephen Hawthorne, Educational Director, and
Sunil Swaroop, Director of Creative Arts and Jackson Troupe. In
addition to a core staff of professional artists and Tufts students,
the programs will feature guest artists from the Boston arts
community.
Application Information
Please call the Balch Arena Theater at (617) 627-3493 for current
application information and deadlines.