Who we are:
The Performer’s Playground is an award wining youth based performing arts studio that caters to the artistic needs of young artists in the greater Sullivan County. Through our year round theatre season, competitive festival circuit and partnerships with local arts organization and school district, as well as creative opportunities in music and video production, our young artists experience life altering arts exchanges with professional and novice arts leaders.

In 2004, the former Dramatic Society left Newport Middle High School to have financial, artistic and space freedom. What is now known as The Performer’s Playground began with the New England Drama festival, a spring competition one-act. The program has grown to produce an annual season of work that includes four main stage productions, Regional Winning festival pieces, a summer Film production, and our newest – Sullvain County Theatre Festival - in partnership with CUFSAP opening in November 2010!

Mission:
The Performer's Playground is committed to Performance Art Education. We aim to work in the most professional way possible alongside established and novice professionals fusing the worlds of amateur and professional performance art.

Vision:
The Playground will join the innovative practices of performance art professionals with young artists. The group will produce high quality productions and workshops, and educate in the craft of performance art as professional a standard as possible. The education and training The Performer's Playground provides will also translate from the performance to life, therefore providing a valuable training for all of our members regardless of their intended destination in a positive and enjoyable environment.

Aims:
1. To explore, produce and perform work of a high quality, which will resonate with young artists.
2. To provide the opportunity for young artists to work with a variety of leading professional practitioners.
3. To create an environment in which young artists will gain skills in the craft and associated practices of theatre, music and all performance arts with a view to enabling them to be informed and critical thinkers, both as audience members and practitioners.
4. To be a part of the community by forging links with schools and other arts organizations
 
**Year round programs
Lit Series- (Ages 21 and under) This is a production based season based on commonly introduced literature in elementary, middle and high schools. Each of these shows hold open auditions. This is a great way to introduce theatre to new members. This is a chance for our members to act as director/producer as well as box office management and actors.
Our Season -
Fall Classic - High School
Winter Children Lit - Elementary
Spring Lit - Middle School

Actors Academy-
Description - 18 and over - This is a year -long theatre troupe that auditions in the fall and produces three main stage productions and takes part in the NH CTA festival.

School yard Series-
Description - Elementary schools - Out of school theatre workshops taught by our Alumni.

**Summer programs
Junior Actor's Summer Stock -
 Description - (2nd - 7th grade)
The Playground’s Junior Actor Summer Stock is a great way for your children to be introduced to the basics of  theatre while exposing them to the award winning theatre company and their creative process.  Each two week session will cover theatre terms such as  blocking, stage awareness, character development along with theatre games to sharpen the actor’s improv skills and self confidence.

Dramaworks -
Description - (age 13 - 18) 7 week film making camp. Attendee’s pick a genre of film and produce
their own short film. Fee - $250 (Weekends)

**Partnerships
PSA  Production-
Description - (ages 13-18) this is collaboration with the CUFSAP. The Playground works with 25 youth to produce PSA about substance abuse prevention.

Sullivan County Theatre Festival -
Description - (High School) The playground is the organizing group for this county wide event. High school level actors and crew come together under a pre chosen theme to produce the best in Youth theatre. This is competitive theatre at its best. CUFSAP is a partner.

Death By Chocolate - Readers theatre-
Description-(all ages) This an annual event bringing together savory treats and wonderful story telling in  the format of early radio theatre. This is a fundraiser for the Playground.

Recent Milestones:
Our Executive/Artistic Director was honored with an Accommodation from the Governor for her work with area youth through theatre.

Our big move into our blackbox theatre - 40 seat blackbox and event space allows us to have a truly youth based prodction company - have youth run everything from lights and sound to box office and backstage.

We recently partnered with Community United For Substance Abuse Prevention (CUFSP) to produce Sullivan County Theatre Festival - an all day themed High School Theatre Festival. This years theme is Substance abuse prevention. We also received monies from Claremont Savings Bank Foundation to support the event

Contact Information:
Studio Address ; 794 John Stark Highway, Newport NH 03773
Mailing address: Po Box 595, Newport, NH 03773
website:www.theperformersplayground.org
e-mail: theperformersplayground@hotmail.com
Phone: 603-863 0022
Fax: 603-542-1469

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