The Phoenix Theatre for Children is a member of the Columbus Cultural Leadership Consortium.
Read about the CCLC's goals and activities here.
The Phoenix Theatre for Children is a collective of artists who work collaboratively to create original productions for young audiences. The Phoenix Theatre for Children is committed to providing young people and their families with theatrical experiences that encourage and enhance an awareness of self and the world in which we live. Frequent themes of the plays are self-reliance, an awareness of the importance of community, the personal empowerment of young people, and our responsibilities as citizens of the world.
The Phoenix Theatre for Children History and Organization
The Phoenix Theatre for Children was created in 1993 from the ashes of the former Players Youth Theatre. With the grass roots support of community volunteers, educators, and families, Steven C. Anderson founded the theatre. Within four weeks of its inception of the theatre produced its first two plays of the season.
The Phoenix Theatre for Children currently produces a season of plays for children, many of them based on classic and contemporary children’s literature, which are performed throughout the school year. Ticketed performances are available for families on the weekends, and morning matinees are presented for school groups during the week. The Phoenix Theatre for Children resident company also brings touring shows to schools in central Ohio.
In addition to the main stage and touring performances, the Phoenix education director also provides short-term and extended residency programs in area schools. These residences vary according to the school’s needs, and can encompass anything from proficiency curricula to theatre styles from around the world.
Phoenix performances, which emphasize the development of cooperation and self-esteem, consistently receive critical acclaim from local press and recognition from both state and local arts councils.
Five productions by The Phoenix Theatre for Children have been nominated for the Greater Columbus Arts Council’s prestigious Artistic Excellence Award that recognizes arts organizations which have demonstrated innovation, risk, and artistic excellence: The Kabuki Sleeping Beauty (1993), To Be a Drum (2001), Seussical (2005), Alice in Wonderland (2006 collaboration with BalletMet), and The Secret Garden (2007 collaboration with CAPA and Opera Columbus).
The Phoenix adaptation of the Tony Award-winning musical The Secret Garden, which was performed simultaneously in spoken English and American Sign Language and showcased both deaf and hearing actors on stage together, was also awarded a Central Ohio Theatre Critics Circle Citation for outstanding theatre efforts.
Outreach, education, and community involvement have always been an integral part of the theatre’s mission. Our mission statement reflects our commitment to the children and families we serve: The Phoenix Theatre for Children helps young people discover community, responsibility, and the world through live theatre.