Children's Theatre

Tufts Children's Theater encompasses Magic Circle Theater, Creative Arts/Jackson Troupe in the summer 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 2009 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.

Collins Players
A drama program for young actors in grades 7-10, 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
Staffing for the Tufts Children’s Theater programs are under the direction of Dr. Luke Jorgensen, Artistic Director; Nicole Frattaroli, Director of Creative Arts and Jackson Troupe; Stephen Hawthorne, Educational Director; and Betsy Goldman, Director of Curriculum. In addition to a core staff of professional artists and Tufts students, the programs 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.