There is a fee, and we have options to help make it work for your school!

For our in-school Residency, up to 20% of your Prop 28 allocation can be applied toward our program.

For after-school programming, CAP/ELOP funding is a great fit. Additional sources include Title I (Part A), Title II (Part A), Title III, and Title IV (Part A). Submit an interest form and we’ll help you navigate what works best for your school.

We work within your schedule, not against it! Sessions run 1-2 times per week, either during the school day (60 minutes) or after school (90 minutes). Our program integrates directly into existing ELA or Arts curriculum and is aligned to both ELA and VAPA standards. Teaching Artists can also work in extended blocks (e.g., 4 hours) with classes rotating in to minimize disruption. We can even weave in ELA concepts and texts students are already reading, so class time is never wasted. We’ll coordinate all timing with you once you submit an interest form.

All sessions are led by our trained Teaching Artists – experienced theatre practitioners who specialize in working with young people in educational settings. They bring both artistic expertise and classroom sensitivity to every residency.

Youth Theatre Residency is designed for K-8 classrooms. The curriculum is highly adaptable: our Teaching Artists tailor content, pacing, and complexity to fit your students’ specific age group and needs. We can also adjust session count, length, and focus areas to fit your school calendar and goals.

These are often the students who benefit most from our program. Our Teaching Artists create a fun, safe, and inclusive environment where students feel comfortable taking risks and showing up fully.

The research backs this up:

• Students are 20% less likely to receive out-of-school suspensions per year of arts studied
• Arts participation reduces the dropout rate from 22% to 4% among low-income students

Our own post-program surveys confirm: arts access significantly reduces absenteeism. Students show up for what engages them.

You don’t have to choose. The Residency is fully aligned with ELA and VAPA standards, and schools with arts-integrated programs, even in low-income communities, consistently report strong academic achievement. Research shows students who participate in drama score higher on standardized tests, demonstrate improved reading comprehension, attend school more regularly, and are more engaged overall compared to peers without arts access.

Theatre is a great addition to any existing arts program. Exposure to multiple art forms (visual arts, music, dance, and theatre) broadens students’ cognitive, emotional, and social development in distinct ways. Drama in particular builds creative problem-solving, empathy, and academic engagement through a unique, multisensory approach that other art forms don’t replicate.