Camille A Brown and Dancers. Photo by Christopher Duggan
Diana Wortham Theatre Matinee Series Introduces Youth to Theatre
Diana Wortham Theatre’s Matinee Series’ 14th season is underway and runs through April 21, 2017. The series presents professional, curriculum-related shows at affordable costs, allowing thousands of children throughout Western North Carolina the opportunity to experience the theater, works by professional dance companies, world-class puppetry and the musical talents of renowned performers.
“Programming for the Matinee Series is created with the same careful attention to variety and quality given to our Mainstage Series,” says D. Rae Geoffrey, Diana Wortham Theatre’s associate director. “Children are as discerning as adult patrons and exposure to impactful professional performances shapes their future as learners and as arts patrons.”
Shows range from Skippyjon Jones: Snow What, recommended for preschool to third grade, to Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing, for ninth through twelfth grades. Other performances include Alice in Wonderland, The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane and Camille A. Brown and Dancers.
“Last year we were fortunate to bring our first graders to the performance of Curious George at DWT and it was phenomenal,” says Shannon Caldwell, teacher at Brush Creek Elementary School in Marshall. “We watched, amazed, as our six- and seven-year-old students sat still, mesmerized by the actors, set, stage—the whole environment. It made a large impact on our students, as they talked and wrote about their experiences for weeks after.”
Diana Wortham Theatre is at 2 South Pack Square in Asheville. Call 828.257.4530 for individual and group sales. Groups may email boxoffice@dwtheatre.com with questions. All group reservations require a deposit. The Youth Education Scholarship (Y.E.S.) Fund provides need-based scholarships to cover the cost of admission for students and schools. Matinee Series order forms and Y.E.S. Fund applications can be accessed at dwtheatre.com/matinee-series.
