Who We Serve

In schools, homeless shelters, libraries, and community centers throughout NYC and beyond, New York City Children’s Theater fosters creative, independent, and empathetic minds with accessible professional productions, audience engagement activities, online programming and classes, and arts-in-education programs.

New York City Children’s Theater has cultivated nearly 425,000 empathetic, creative and independent thinkers over the past 27 years. We’ve premiered 36 new works that have entertained family audience members and have 5 education programs that have served students in elementary schools, community centers, and homeless shelters.

Theater Programming

NYCCT is one of the few theaters dedicated to solely producing quality new work for young audiences, premiering 36 new works since our inception. In the past 10 years, our productions have reached over 40,000 audience members.

Laurie Berkner's Pillowland - NYC Children's Theater Show

Send a Kid to Theater and Send a Family to Theater Access Initiatives

Over 15,000 children and over 300 families participated in our theater access initiatives, which ensure low-income families and students in Title I schools can enjoy NYCCT shows at no cost to themselves.

Audience members and counting have attended productions in the past 8 years

%

17,956 General Audience attendees

%

15,238 Access Initiative attendees

Education Programming

Our award-winning residency programs, anti-bullying workshops, and multi-sensory musicals serve an average of 10,200 students per year in all 5 boroughs of New York City! Here are some of our exciting achievements over the last decade.

Literature at Play for Students with Disabilities - Teacher high-fiving student - NYC Children's Theater

Children Reached

In the last 10 years, NYCCT has served nearly 105,000 children through one or more of our education programs.

Facilities Served

Our programs have been held at over 575 elementary schools, community centers, and homeless shelters.

Teaching Artist Jobs Yearly

NYCCT employs an average 40 Teaching Artists per year to lead our residency programs, anti-bullying workshops, and multi-sensory musicals.

Our Students

Our work reaches the children who need it most, helping to bridge gaps in access, education and development.

 

%

of schools served are Title 1 and serve low-income families

%

of audiences are students of color

%

of students have disabilities or emotional disturbance

%

are English Language Learners

Our Impact

Our education programs support NYS ELA Standards and meet the NYC DOE Theatre Blueprint Benchmarks

 

34,500+ children developed a deeper love for literacy and creativity in just five years.

21,000+ children have used theater to practice navigating bullying behavior in a school or social setting.

5,000+ children in transitional housing and homeless shelters have built emotional management skills through creative engagement with stories.

350+ multi-sensory performances of our shows, FIVE and CINCO, have engaged children with disabilities and the very young in an exploration of their senses.

%

of school partners ask us to return the following year

%

ask us to return for 3 years or more

Online Programming

NYCCT doesn’t just cultivate creativity at school and the theater. Creative Clubhouse is an at home program designed to help young people develop their critical thinking, empathetic problem solving, and social growth even if they can’t join one of our in person events.

nycct teaching artist bekah leads a creative clubhouse stories read aloud video

NYCCT Teaching Artist Bekah leads a Creative Clubhouse Stories read aloud.

Families reached through Creative Clubhouse shows and activities

a young audience member and her fox mask

Art project made by a young fan based on the NYCCT production This is Sadie.

Views of our top interactive Creative Clubhouse activity videos

an under the sea themed craft

Arts and craft project from Creative Clubhouse Activities.

Grown-ups helped to start nuanced conversations with children around big topics

nycct teaching artist caitlyn in start the conversation re emerging in the time of covid 19

NYCCT Teaching Artist Caitlyn leads Start the Conversation: Re-Emerging in the Time of COVID-19.

Annual Reports

Learn more about the impact our work has on our community in our Annual Reports.

new york city childrens theater annual report 2022 cover

New York City Children’s Theater’s 2022 Annual Report

New York City Children's Theater annual report 2021 cover

New York City Children’s Theater’s 2021 Annual Report

New York City Children's Theater annual report 2020 cover

New York City Children’s Theater’s 2020 Annual Report

Your Support is Critical

Your donation, your word of mouth, and even your kind thoughts help move our mission forward. We are grateful for your interest and your understanding. Join our efforts, because we have the how, and we know you can see the why.

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