PERIWINKLE THEATRE FOR YOUTH
Who we are
Periwinkle Theatre for Youth is an arts-in-education theatre company that tours original plays throughout the United States and partners with schools to provide in-school and after-school theatre residencies.
Our mission is to create and produce original plays and arts-in-education programs
that foster community and motivate students to delve deeper into the personal and
social issues that they face today. Through dynamic programming, we instill a life
long appreciation for theatre as a vibrant art form.
Founded in 1963, our professional theatre productions have reached audiences of all ages in thirty-eight states, Canada, Guam, The Virgin Islands, and Egypt. Our arts-in-education residencies use drama to cultivate artistic, academic, and social growth among the students we serve.
Our awards include the 2006 Theatre Museum's Award for Excellence
for Theatre Arts in Education; the American Theatre Association's Jennie
Heiden Award for excellence
in professional theatre for young audiences; the American Alliance for Theatre and
Education's Ann Flagg Multicultural Award for reaching diverse audiences and the
Sara Spencer Artistic Achievement Award.
What we do
PROFESSIONAL TOURING THEATRE
PTY creates and produces original theatre productions for audiences K — 12. Our plays are catalysts for learning that entertain audiences on an arts level while stimulating them to apply critical thinking to issues such as drug and alcohol use, peer pressure, bullying, self-esteem, and accountability. We tailor each show to meet the needs of specific age groups and work in a variety of genres including drama, musical theatre, comedy, and revue.
Our productions travel to schools, colleges, libraries, convention centers, and treatment facilities to provide audiences with dynamic performing arts experiences through strong ensemble playing, accented by lighting, sound, and scenic elements.
EDUCATIONAL THEATRE RESIDENCIES
PTY’s Department of Education works with students, teachers, and administrators to create standards-based programs that address diverse learning styles and age groups. Our residencies integrate all areas of the school curriculum and include programs in theatre arts, literacy, character education, violence prevention, and cultural awareness. The Periwinkle Education Team consists of twenty-five teaching artists with a wide-variety of professional and university experience. Programs are grounded in basic arts-in-education concepts including creative drama, process drama, the arts integration model, Theatre of the Oppressed, and sociodrama. This year over 3,000 students in thirty schools will participate in one of our in-school or after-school residencies in acting, musical theatre, creative drama, playmaking, or violence reduction.
