Adventure Theatre

Adventure Theatre is the longest running children's theatre in the Washington, D.C. area. Located in Glen Echo Park in Glen Echo, Maryland has been performing for children since 1951 and educating children in creative drama since 1978.[1]

History

• 1951. Adventure Theatre is founded by a group of women from the Community Arts Association’s drama classes, who believed that children deserve to experience excellent theater.

• 1955. Adventure Theatre begins commissioning plays by award-winning, nationally-recognized children’s theater playwrights, Flora Atkins and Helen Avery. Both are recipients of the prestigious Charlotte B. Chorpenning Award from The Children’s Theatre Association of America.

• 1969. The In-School Players, a traveling troupe, is launched as a result of a request by the Director of Language Arts for the District of Columbia Public Schools. The In-School Players remains a vital part of AT programming.

• 1971. Adventure Theatre moves into a new permanent space of its own after years of touring, at Glen Echo Park, its current location.

• 1974 -79. Adventure Theatre expands programming by partnering with the Junior League to create The Picture Book Players, a performance troupe for pre-school and early elementary aged children. Adventure Theatre also began offering its first theater-education classes and created a puppet division, now The Puppet Co., another resident of Glen Echo Park.

• 1986. New Plays Books published Six Adventure Theatre Plays, which were distributed to bookstores and children’s theaters around the country. The County Council of Montgomery County proclaimed June as “Adventure Theatre Month,” in honor of the theater’s 35 years of service.

• 2007. Renovation of the home space is completed. The extensive renovation, which includes a state-of-the-art theatre, new rehearsal spaces, and room for an expanded administrative staff, Adventure Theatre, enables the theater to expand its programming and offer services to thousands of additional patrons each year.

• 2010. Producing Artistic Director, Michael J. Bobbitt receives the 2010 County Executive’s Awards for Excellence in the Arts – Emerging Leader and becomes President of the League of Washington Theaters. Adventure Theatre partners with Montgomery College to co-produce Harry Connick, Jr’s, THE HAPPY ELF, directed by Tony Winner John Rando and starring Tony winner Michael Rupert. Additionally, Adventure Theatre adapted and produced the classic television special – RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER. Adventure Theatre’s production of IF YOU GIVE A PIG A PANCAKE, breaks box-office records, receives both critical and public acclaim, and is featured in American Theatre Magazine.

Both, IF YOU GIVE A PIG A PANCAKE and THE HAPPY ELF, receive national recognition and help solidify Adventure Theatre’s position as a leader in arts and arts education for youth.

• 2011, Adventure Theatre will celebrate 60 years of commissioning new works, cultivating many generations of theatre artists and audiences, and transitioning from a community-based arts organization to a nationally-recognized children’s theater.

The Facility

In September 2007, Adventure Theatre introduced renovations including a new stage and audience seating, a state-of-the-art sound and light system, new rehearsal and education spaces, and party rooms.

Reviews


See also

Notes

  1. ↑ adventuretheatre-mtc.org .

References

External links