Lexington Children’s Theatre offers a variety of classes, workshops, and residencies to support arts education in the classroom! Whether you’re interested in bringing in an established program or working with LCT’s professional education staff to create a program tailored to your students’ needs, we encourage educators to check out our offerings below as a starting point for building partnerships.

For more information and to book an in-school arts education experience: contact Rhonda Bell, LCT’s Education Director, at (859) 254-4546 x226 or education@lctonstage.org.

To bring a professional show to your school with our In-School Tour Performances: visit https://www.lctonstage.org/for-educators/touring-performances/ or contact us at sales@lctonstage.org.

Items marked with an asterisk (*) are also available as virtual opportunities.

After-School Arts Enrichment

Bring Lexington Children’s Theatre’s Teaching Artists to your school for after-school arts activities!

THEATRE EXPLORERS

Theatre Explorers is an after-school program facilitated by the professional staff of Lexington Children’s Theatre in the convenience of your school! For five weeks, 18 of your students, grades K‐2 or grades 3‐5, will meet after school one day a week for an hour and a half in this student‐funded program. We will explore various elements of theatre and storytelling through engaging activities, art, and more. On the final day of class, we will have a sharing for family and friends.

  • Create-A-Play (Grades K-2) – 5 weeks

In this class, young people explore a theme or work of contemporary literature and create their own version using drama, art, music, and dance.

  • Skills-Based (Grades 3-5) – 5 weeks

LCT offers a variety of skills-based classes including Acting from a Script, Characterization, Puppetry, and more!

Pricing: $75 per student

PERFORMANCE WORKSHOPS (Grades 3-8) – 2 weeks

LCT teaching artists will work with your students to mount a play in the convenience of your school! Performance Workshops work to improve acting and performing skills. Each child enrolled in the workshop receives a speaking role in the play and rehearses every day after school for two weeks, culminating in a fully produced performance for the school community, family, and friends on Friday evening. The Performance Workshop is a forty-minute production with roles for 20 young people in grades 3‐5 or 6‐8 based on popular young adult literature. LCT provides the props, costumes, sound, and scenery.

Pricing: $1200 per workshop (≤20 students)


Residencies

LCT’s Theatre Residencies connect you with our professional Theatre Artists for an exciting educational experience that will get you and your students moving, playing, and thinking outside the box! These classes are designed to meet for one to two hours over a specified number of weeks. From performance possibilities and skill building to in-depth looks at the theatrical process, our residencies provide young people with opportunities to grow as young artists.

ACTING FOR THE CAMERA (Grades 3 & up) – 6 weeks

Performing onstage is very different than performing for the camera. In this class, we will give students the fundamentals of being an on-screen performer and record a few commercials, scenes, and monologues to assist them in honing their technique. Pricing: $550 per classroom (≤30 students)

DEVISING A PLAY (Grades 6 & up) – 9 weeks*

Have you ever wanted to create a play from scratch? LCT’s Teaching Artists will guide you through the process of choosing a topic, brainstorming ideas and structures, and creating an original work. This class requires a motivated group of students who are passionate about a topic or idea they want to turn into a play. Pricing: $650 per classroom (≤30 students)

DIGITAL STORYTELLING (Grades 5-8) – 5 weeks*

Digital storytelling allows everyday people to share their story. In this class, you’ll learn from LCT Teaching Artists as they demonstrate how to use digital media (pictures, stop animation, and video) to craft your ideas to tell a story or present an idea. Pricing: $350 per classroom (≤30 students)

EMPATHY IN ACTION: AN ANTI-BULLYING PROGRAM (Grades 3-5) – 1 week

Empathy in Action is Lexington Children’s Theatre’s anti‐bullying curriculum. In this week‐long residency, young people explore the definition of “community” and examine their own role in creating an environment where differences are respected and celebrated. Together with LCT Teaching Artists, young people define “bullying” as they identify the various forms it can take in their lives.

This program teaches the vocabulary to recognize and name various types of intolerance, both verbal and non‐verbal, that students might encounter in the school community. Students discuss and act out scenarios to practice becoming a “rescuer” rather than a “bystander.” Through drama activities, students practice strategies to overcome intolerant behavior at school and build an inclusive and welcoming community. Pricing: $375 per classroom (≤30 students)

FOUNDATIONS OF ACTING (Grades 3-8) – 9 weeks*

This class is an overview of the skills and training needed to understand and develop a student’s craft of acting. Each week will be filled with activities and exercises to develop the body, voice, imagination, and other skills necessary to begin the process of creating meaningful characters as a young performer. Pricing: $500 per classroom (≤30 students)

IMPROVISATION (Grades 6 & up) – 6 weeks

This class will help young people develop their improvisation skills as they learn to think on their feet. We will work to define and demonstrate the five basic principles of improvisation: Give and Take, Beginning/Middle/End, Spontaneity, Yes and…, and Listening. Pricing: $450 per classroom (≤30 students)

PLAYWRITING (Grades 6 & up) – 9 weeks*

This program will assist students in understanding story structure as they work to write their own ten-minute play. Each class will consist of a series of writing exercises and lessons to give your student a firm foundation in crafting a piece of theatre. Pricing: $600 per classroom (≤30 students)

SCENE STUDY (Grades 4 & up) – 9 weeks*

In Scene Study, the participants are given a partner and a cutting from a play. The class works to develop their character based on the playwright’s language and context provided by the script. The participants will learn and perform the role to be shared in a showcase setting. Pricing: $500 per classroom (≤30 students)


One-Day Workshops

These workshops are designed to engage students with one of our Teaching Artists in short, one- or two-session events.

AUDITION TECHNIQUES (Grades 3 & up) – Two 1.5-hour sessions*

This class discusses what makes a successful audition, what directors are looking for, audition tips, and answers any questions you might have about the audition process. We will discuss the different types of auditions and what makes a good headshot and resume. Pricing: $150 per classroom (≤30 students)

CAREERS IN THE THEATRE (Grades 4 & up) – One 1-hour session*

Have you ever wondered about a career in theatre? Do you know there are, on average, 6 people who work backstage for every actor onstage? Join LCT’s staff as they share their job responsibilities and what makes them vital in the creation of a performance. Pricing: $75 per classroom (≤30 students)

STAGE MAKEUP (Grades 4 & up) – One 2.5-hour session

Do you enjoy becoming someone else? Are you interested in learning how to transform your face to become a fantastical character? Learn the techniques to turn your face into an artistic masterpiece. Pricing: $300 per classroom (≤30 students)

STORY BOX THEATRE (Grades PreK-2) – One 60-minute session

Story Box is an interactive story-telling experience using drama and imaginative play for young people. Materials used in this workshop will be left for the classroom so that young people may continue to explore the story further. Pricing: $100 per classroom (≤30 students)


Arts Integration

Arts integration is an active and creative way of teaching and learning in which students are engaged in interdisciplinary activities and projects that work towards learning objectives in the arts and other core subjects. These residencies typically run daily for one week. They are developed with your input and aligned with Kentucky Academic Standards across the curriculum. Arts integration residencies include:

  • An initial planning meeting with an LCT Teaching Artist to identify learning objectives and understand your classroom needs.
  • Arts integrated lesson plans designed and facilitated for your classroom by LCT Teaching Artists.
  • Multiple in-class sessions facilitated by LCT Teaching Artists that use drama and theatre techniques to teach and explore core content.
  • These sessions are tailored to meet the needs of your schedule and budget.
  • Drama and theatre activities modeled in your classroom that you can continue to use in your own daily teaching practice.

Arts integration residencies previously developed by LCT Teaching Artists include:

  • Dr. Chaos and the Weather Adventure: An Interactive Weather Exploration
  • Brother Sun and Sister Moon: Exploring Sun/Earth/Moon Relationships
  • Westward Ho! Exploring the U.S. Westward Expansion

Pricing: $400 per classroom (≤30 students) for currently available residency titles / $750 per classroom (≤30 students) for newly developed arts integration residencies


Virtual Technical Theater Classes

There is so much that goes on behind the scenes of any play to make it happen! In these pre-recorded workshops, you’ll learn technical theatre concepts and skills from LCT’s very own Technical Directors. Each class comes with suggested projects you can make alongside watching the videos to aid in your students’ learning! Booking a pre-recorded class will give you access to your chosen class’s videos for the rest of the semester.

Video pass pricing is based on the number of students streaming. When booking, you may select Classroom (1 – 30 students), Grade Level (30 – 130 students) or Entire School (130+ students). Pricing is flexible. For example, if you are purchasing passes for two grade levels and not the entire school, you can select two “Grade Level” passes, which will be more cost effective than the “Entire School” price.

  • Flats, Platforms, & Acting Cubes (Grades 9-12) – Three 30-minute videos

Every drama program needs the know-how to build and make these three basic scenery elements. Join LCT artists as they walk through the construction techniques used to build these staples and give your theatre program a leg up on creating some stock pieces. Pricing: $50 Classroom / $75 Grade Level / $150 Entire School

  • Introduction to Scenic Painting (Grades 6-12) – Six 50-minute videos

LCT’s technicians are excited to share their talents with you! Good scenic painting skills are vital to creating a quality set. These artists will show you some basic skills to up your scenic game. Learn techniques like shadow and highlight, wood grain, brick walls, and so much more! Pricing: $150 Classroom / $300 Grade Level / $600 Entire School

  • SketchUp for Set Design (Grades 9-12) – One 15-minute pre-recorded video & One 60-minute live virtual demonstration

Learn how to use SketchUp Free to develop digital models of a set design, making it easy for you to articulate and present your ideas to the rest of the creative team. Through this workshop, you will learn the basics of using SketchUp, including shortcuts and how tools function. Then, the teacher will walk you through drafting a 3D model in real time! Pricing: $75 per class (≤30 students)