Emily Burritt

Since 1977, Childsplay has been committed to its mission: “To create theatre so strikingly original in form, content or both that it instills in young people an enduring awe, love, and respect for the medium, thus preserving imagination and wonder, those hallmarks of childhood that are the keys to the future.” An internationally respected theatre company that performs for children and families in Arizona, Childsplay believes that young people deserve to experience theatre of the highest artistic quality. Respect for children’s intelligence and creativity drives the organization to produce great works and prioritize the development and presentation of plays that reflect our school audiences. Childsplay’s understanding of the enduring challenges facing Arizona classrooms also leads the company to offer arts education resources to more than 600 schools across the state. The company has received major support from both local and national funders, including the National Endowment for the Arts, the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and the Shubert Foundation. In addition to Childsplay’s professional productions, our educational programming has expanded dramatically in response to the needs of our school partners. Over 1,500 young people attend classes each year in the Childsplay Theatre Academy and nearly 5,000 students experience drama directly in their classrooms through Childsplay’s Education Outreach programs. These programs emphasize experiential learning, language acquisition and literacy competency – essential precursors to overall academic achievement and long-term success across all subject areas. Childsplay believes that by continuing to create strikingly original theatre and connecting to young people’s learning potential, we can build a generation of creative learners, innovative thinkers and dynamic leaders.