Children’s Theatre of Charlotte Field Trip for K-12
Children’s Theatre of Charlotte is a professional theatre company serving young people and families. It selects scripts for artistic merit, audience appeal, curricular ties, variety of ages served, themes explored, diversity of programming and ties to our mission. Children’s Theatre of Charlotte hires professional directors, actors and designers from around the country. Additionally, Children’s Theatre of Charlotte employs a full production staff to build sets, design costumes and more. As stated in its core values, Children’s Theatre of Charlotte is dedicated to excellence. It strives for professionalism and outstanding artistry in all its efforts.
Children’s Theatre of Charlotte offers weekday performances of professionally produced plays and musicals for school audiences. Children’s Theatre of Charlotte’s home at ImaginOn: The Joe and Joan Martin Center features two performance spaces, the 550-seat McColl Family Theatre and the 250-seat Wells Fargo Playhouse. Serving a wide age range, these productions have set a new standard for professional theatre in our region. Children’s Theatre of Charlotte’s 2019-20 season features:
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ANNIE
BOOK BY THOMAS MEEHAN
MUSIC BY CHARLES STROUSE
LYRICS BY MARTIN CHARNIN
ORIGINAL BROADWAY PRODUCTION DIRECTED BY MARTIN CHARNIN
BASED ON “LITTLE ORPHAN ANNIE”® | BY PERMISSION OF TRIBUNE CONTENT AGENCY, LLC
Sept 21 – Oct 21, 2022 | McColl Family Theatre | For 1st Grade and up
Note: Two Acts, approx. 2 hours with a “stretch break”
Set in New York City against the backdrop of the Great Depression, little orphan Annie does her best to hang on ‘til tomorrow come what may. After enduring hardship at the hands of evil Miss Hannigan, a new family breathes hope into the heart of everyone’s favorite spunky hero.
THEMES: HOPE, JUSTICE, OPTIMISM
JACKIE ROBINSON: A GAME APART
WRITTEN AND PERFORMED BY MIKE WILEY
Nov 9-18, 2022 | Wells Fargo Playhouse | For 4th Grade and up
Step back in time and up to the plate as Mike Wiley’s one-man show highlights the triumphs and struggles of baseball legend Jackie Robinson’s life. This powerful story takes you from the field where Robinson was adored as a first-rate athlete to beyond the stadium walls where he was treated as a second-hand citizen.
THEMES: COURAGE, PERSEVERANCE, LEADERSHIP
THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER: THE MUSICAL
BY JAHNNA BEECHAM & MALCOLM HILLGARTNER
ADAPTED FROM THE BOOK BY BARBARA ROBINSON
ORCHESTRATIONS AND VOCAL ARRANGEMENTS BY DEBORAH WICKS LA PUMA
PRODUCED BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT WITH BROADWAY LICENSING
Nov 30 – Dec 15, 2022 | McColl Family Theatre | For 1st Grade and up
The Herdmans are ready to wreak havoc! What happens when the “worst kids in the history of the world” find out about free food at Sunday school? What if they decide to audition for the annual Christmas pageant? This hilarious and heartfelt musical comedy, adapted from Barbara Robinson’s classic story, will have your family laughing and crying as we celebrate the holidays.
THEMES: COMMUNITY, TRADITIONS, BELONGING, EMPATHY
CONFESSIONS OF A FORMER BULLY
ADAPTED FOR THE STAGE BY MICHELLE HOPPE-LONG
BASED ON THE BOOKS CONFESSIONS OF A FORMER BULLY BY TRUDY LUDWIG, ILLUSTRATED BY BETH ADAMS; AND MY SECRET BULLY BY TRUDY LUDWIG, ILLUSTRATED BY ABIGAIL MARBLE
Jan 10-20, 2023 | Wells Fargo Playhouse | For 2nd Grade and up
When Katie, who never considered herself a bully, repeatedly teases classmate Monica, it pushes their friendship to a tipping point. Katie’s hurtful words and behavior lead her to the principal’s office to deal with the consequence of her actions with a counselor. Will she be able to salvage a friendship and regain the trust of her peers? Told from the perspective of the bully and the bullied, this story makes everyone consider how they treat others and want to be treated themselves.
THEMES: BULLYING, FRIENDSHIP
ALLIE KAZAN AND THE MAGIC MANSION
BOOK AND LYRICS BY JAHNNA BEECHAM AND MICHAEL J. HUME
BOOK, MUSIC AND LYRICS BY MALCOLM HILLGARTNER
BOOK AND MAGIC BY STEVE MARSHALL
Feb 2-17, 2023 | McColl Family Theatre | For 1st – 4th Grades
You won’t believe your eyes as finalists at the 50th anniversary of the Young Masters of Magic competition face-off for the prized Golden Key. Who will win Marvellini’s prized possession that unlocks the secrets to the master magician’s greatest illusions? Don’t miss this brand-new musical where Allie and company keep you wondering – what’s real and what’s magic?
THEMES: MAGIC, MYSTERY, ADVENTURE
SUNJATA KAMALENYA: THE STORY OF THE TRUE LION KING OF AFRICA
WRITTEN AND DIRECTED BY CHRISTOPHER PARKS
DRAMATURGY BY ERICA NAGEL
HISTORICAL CONSULTANT DAVID CONRAD
CHOREOGRAPHY BY DYANE HARVEY
MUSICAL COMPOSITION BY BALLA KOUYATÉ
Mar 1-3, 2023 | McColl Family Theatre | For 1st – 6th Grades
When a wandering hunter comes to the village of Farrakoro with a wild prediction, questions are raised. How could a crippled boy and his outcast mother save their nation from an evil warlord? Celebrate the greatest hero of West African culture in this interactive production that takes place in a magical world filled with sorcery and enchantment.
THEMES: OVERCOMING ODDS, CULTURE
THE NIGHT DIARY
ADAPTED FOR THE STAGE BY MUKTA PHATAK
BASED ON THE BOOK THE NIGHT DIARY BY VEERA HIRANANDANI
BOOK COVER ILLUSTRATION USED BY PERMISSION OF PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE | DESIGNED AND ILLUSTRATED BY KELLEY BRADY
DRAMATURGY BY ANURAG WADEHRA
Mar 8-24, 2023 | Wells Fargo Playhouse | For 3rd Grade and up
Twelve-year-old Nisha is half-Muslim and half-Hindu struggling to figure out where she belongs. Her personal conflict deepens as India – the country she lives in – is divided into pieces during the Partition of 1947. When her father decides it’s too dangerous to stay where they are, they embark on a long and dangerous journey as refugees. Told through her journal entries to her mother, this stirring and heartfelt story reminds us that home is more than a place. It’s a feeling and a sense of belonging that comes from within.
THEMES: IDENTITY, LOSS, HOPEFULNESS
DON’T LET THE PIGEON DRIVE THE BUS
BASED ON THE BOOK BY MO WILLEMS
PUBLISHED BY HYPERION BOOKS FOR CHILDREN
SCRIPT BY MO WILLEMS AND MR. WARBURTON
LYRICS BY MO WILLEMS
MUSIC BY DEBORAH WICKS LA PUMA
DRAMATURGY BY MEGAN ALRUTZ
Apr 4 – May 5, 2023 | McColl Family Theatre | For PreK – 2nd Grades
When a persistent pigeon decides he must drive the bus, he’ll stop at nothing to get behind the wheel. Laugh your way through and get ready to shout “No!” as celebrated author Mo Willems’ award-winning book comes to life on stage.
THEMES: RESPONSIBILITY, PERSUASION, ACCOUNTABILITY
THE GATHERING
CREATED BY THE CHEROKEE HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION & PRESENTED BY CHILDREN’S THEATRE OF CHARLOTTE
A PLAY BY MARION WAGGONER
Apr 18-21, 2023 | Wells Fargo Playhouse | For 5th Grade and up
The relationship of Lizzie and Elon gets off to a rocky start when the two students from totally different walks of life meet at a conference on cultural diversity. By the end of the day, they manage to bridge the gap between understanding life on a Native American Reservation and that of a small mid-western community.
THEMES: NATIVE AMERICAN HISTORY, DIFFERING PERSPECTIVES, CULTURAL AWARENESS
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All productions meet specific language and theatre arts curriculum standards. Children’s Theatre of Charlotte has designed teacher resource guides, which provide innovative connections to additional Common Core and North Carolina Essential Standards, to complement each production, deepen the theatre experience, extend the educational value and spark classroom conversations. Guides include information about the author/playwright, discussion questions, vocabulary words, recommended reading lists and engaging activities.
Convenient bus lane and other amenities help field trips go smoothly and efficiently. An average of 350 schools from Mecklenburg and 19 surrounding counties bring their students to Children’s Theatre of Charlotte to experience the magic of live professional theatre.