Portsmouth Area Children’s Theatre
PAAC formed the Portsmouth Area Children's Theatre in the fall of 2010 based on the growing need for a year-round children's theatre program. Since then, we have welcomed over 500 student members, graduated over 50 alumni, and have over 150 adult sustaining members.
By immersing children in the theatre's creative process, they are academically challenged during rehearsals, mentally engaged in their performance, and develop their communication and listening skills. They learn to take direction but are also afforded the freedom of individual expression.
Our Children's Theatre also brings students from different school districts together who may have never had the chance to meet otherwise. We blur the lines of school rivalries as children from all over come together to put on a show. This leads to a sense of community within the production and continues long after the show is over. We regularly see students form lifelong friendships with those they have met through our programming.
We are creating positive childhood memories of our community for our students. The stronger the connection to the community, the more likely they will want to remain here and be a positive force for years to come. The other performing arts programs in the community will also benefit as we continue to create an audience for future performances. Young actors are more likely to grow up and become adult audience members of both community and professional theatre.
Our goal is simple: To provide a safe, creative, and educational space for children in our community to perform together.
2023-2024
Fall 2023- Disney’s Beauty and the Beast
Winter 2024- Legally Blonde
Spring 2024- The SpongeBob Musical: Youth Edition
Learn more about this season here!
Auditions
If you have a child in your life who loves to sing, dance, and perform, our Children’s Theatre program is the perfect place for them! We offer a nurturing, educational environment where kids can have fun and hone their performance skills. Just check out our audition information here and come with a positive attitude!
Theatre Camps
Theatre camps are a great way for students to go through our audition, rehearsal, and performance process before committing to a full-length production. They learn all about every aspect of theatre, both on stage and off, in a short amount of time.
To find out how you can support our accessible and educational Children’s Theatre programming, click the link below!
