Popular children’s theater company Pollyanna will continue to bring theater arts to children this fall by offering a variety of virtual and in-person performances for ages 3-12. “We want to make theater as safe and accessible as possible for our young audiences, whether that’s a child on Zoom, a classroom of second graders or a room full of eager six-year-olds in an actual theater,” says Judy Matetzschk-Campbell, Pollyanna’s founder and artistic director. “Our upcoming season is designed for flexibility in a rapidly changing environment.”
Through October 29, Pollyanna will offer two Zoom plays on demand for classrooms: “Edith Wilmans on Her Campaign Tour” for ages 9-12 and “The Missing Dinosaur Adventure” for ages 3-6. “Edith” is an interactive opportunity to learn more about the first woman elected to the Texas State Legislature and meets several Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) requirements. “The Missing Dinosaur Adventure” invites younger children on an interactive quest to rescue a baby dinosaur.
Beginning November 15 and continuing through December 21, Pollyanna will deploy actors to individual classrooms to present the funny “Miss Pumpelhouse Is Missing,” a Mad Libs style interactive play. Another Zoom option, “Mystery of the Toy Store,” will also be available on demand for teachers from December 1 to January 4. The theater company plans to return to in-person performances for the spring.
The Pollyanna Theatre Company historically reaches more than 20,000 school children each year, commissioning playwrights nationwide to create original works for children.
