Box Office: 800-497-5007
Main Office: 212-647-1100






 

Theatreworks USA offers unique, educational presentations by highly talented artists for school and public performances. Included are stories, songs and dance from many cultures - African, Hispanic, Japanese and Native American are offered by authentic artists who entertain as well as teach about their traditions.

Choose from:

 

Contact us to discuss bringing a guest artist to you, or call Barbara Sandek, Beth Prather or Steve Cochran at 212.647.1100.

MUSICAL THEATRE

TWO BEANS PRODUCTIONS

NEW!  JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH

When James crawls inside a gigantic peach growing in his aunts' garden, he embarks on an amazing journey down the hill, across the sea, and into the sky!   Join James and his new friends -- Old-Green-Grasshopper, Miss Spider, Centipede, Earthworm and more -- in Two Beans Productions' magical production based on Roald Dahl's beloved book.

NEW!  WINNIE THE POOH

Tales of Christopher Robin's friends and their adventures in the Hundred Acre Wood have delighted children of all ages for generations.   Join Eeyore, Rabbit, Piglet, Owl, Kanga, Roo, and of course, everyone's favorite bear of very little brain, Pooh, in this enchanting musical based on A.A. Milne's stories.

ALEXANDER AND THE TERRIBLE, HORRIBLE, NO GOOD, VERY BAD DAY

Laugh and sing along as Alexander wakes up with gum in his hair, trips on a skateboard, and accidentally drops his sweater in the sink -- all before breakfast!   This charming musical from Two Beans Productions is based on the classic book by Judith Viorst.

JACK SPRAT LOW-FAT WORLD TOUR
News headlines about the alarming increase in childhood obesity appear nearly every day. Two Beans Productions joins the battle against this epidemic with The Jack Sprat Low-Fat World Tour, a fun-filled musical production commissioned and endorsed by the American Cancer Society, driving home the importance of healthy eating in the fight against heart disease and obesity.

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PUPPET THEATRE

JIM WEST PRODUCTIONS

Puppetry, classical music, drawing, storytelling and geography - Jim has something for everyone.

AESOP 'S FABLES
With the help of Aesop himself (and his faithful dog, Moral), Jim and his partners share the famous fables, including The Lion and the Mouse, The Tortoise and the Hare, and the Fox and the Grapes. This large-scale puppet production also features the music of Scarlatti, Beethoven, and Chopin.

AESOP 'S FABLES II
Jim West and company are back in an all-new puppet extravaganza with The Goose that Lay the Golden Egg, The Boy Who Cried Wolf, and many more of Aesop's legendary fables! As a follow-up to his original successful production, Aesop's Fables II features more morals, more classical music, and even more puppet-making ideas! And of course, more silliness than ever!

DINOSAURS!
Fossil, the Dinosaur detective, mixes fun and facts in this colossal show inspired by everyone's favorite prehistoric creatures. Mozart, Beethoven, Mahler, Stravinsky and Prokofiev provide the rich musical score.

Rudyard Kipling's HOW THE ELEPHANT GOT HIS TRUNK & Other Animal Tales

Step right up, and let the animal antics begin!   With the Pink Elephant as your guide, Rudyard Kipling's classic story "How the Elephant Got His Trunk" (also known as "The Elephant's Child") comes to life in this large-scale puppet extravaganza.   Also, colorful rod puppets perform a madcap Barnyard Opera to the accompaniment of Mozart, Strass, Rossini, and other classical great!

MOZART, MONSTERS & MATISSE
Inspired by the music of Mozart, this multimedia delight includes a fanciful underwater story in the style of Matisse with giant, colorful, friendly monsters in each story.

NORTH, SOUTH, EAST & JIM WEST
A multicultural puppet treat, with a giant dragon from China, a Native American totem pole, and a hand shadow spider from Africa.

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STORYTELLING, MUSIC & DANCE

QUEEN NUR

SWEET POTATO PIE AND SUCH
Incomparable storyteller Karen Nur El-Amin presents a tasty treat of stories, songs and dance celebrating African-American Heritage accompanied by African instruments. This highly energetic and interactive performance will delight as well as enlighten all ages. For the holiday, Karen and her partner offer Kwanzaa, a celebration of family, community and culture.

 

FELIX PITRE

(All shows are available in either English, Spanish, or English/Spanish)

ANIMAL TALES (ANIMALES)
Sing and laugh along with Latin American singer-storyteller-musician extraordinaire, Felix Pitre, as he presents a collection of wonderful animal stories and songs celebrating the environment and teaching respect for creatures large and small. This audience-participation treat for young audiences includes stories from Brazil, Mexico, and Peru, with songs such as Froggie Went a Courtin', Alouette, and The Lion Sleeps Tonight, among others.

MEXICAN LEGENDS AND SONGS
Historical characters Pancho Villa, Dona Marina, Cortes and Montezuma are brought to life with wit and charm by this versatile performer. Be prepared to sing along with "La Cucaracha", "Cu cu ru cu cu Paloma" and others.

STORIES & SONGS OF LATIN AMERICA

Felix Pitre shares many of the Hispanic traditions that were passed down to him from his own family, bringing to life the culture of Latin America with puppetry, stories, songs, instruments and dance, performed in English interwoven with Spanish words and phrases.

 

AFRICAN FOLK TALES

Inspired by Anansi the Spider and other stories, the folk traditions of Africa are introduced in this delectable program of stories, dance, mime, indigenous music and audience participation.   Tales include Anansi and the Box of Stories, The Possum and the Snake, Why Monkeys Live in Trees, How the Zebra Got His Stripes and much more!

 

 

 

 

JOY KELLY

RIVER TALES
Why are rivers so important to life? Where did rivers come from and where do they go? Join Joy Kelly in a musical adventure exploring rivers and how they have affected us.


 

JOHNNY THE K

Audiences across the country are going wild fo award-winning singer/songwriter Johnny the K's fun-filled, interactive, thoroughly captivating performances.

CITIZENS OF THE WORLD

I CAN, I AM, AND I WILL

TURN THE WORLD AROUND

YOU CAN SAY NO

A FAMILY NIGHT TO REMEMBER

"Johnny the K is everything you look for in a children's performer.   I've never seen a performer develop a trust with an audience so quickly."

-- Billy Dimichelle, Scholastic Books, Inc.

"I can't thank you enough for the wonderful performances you gave us!   Your concerts were engaging, uplifting and fun.   The audiences were enthralled.   What a blast!"

-- Chris Brown, Director, University of Massachusetts

 

 

¡RETUMBA!

The all-women Afro-Carribean troupe, made up of singers, dancers and instrumentalists, presents a high-energy uplifting performance that is sure to leave your audience breathless!  Interweaving traditional rhythms, beautiful ancient melodies, and a whole lot of fun, Retumba! emphasizes the particular strengths and sensitivities of diverse women working together in celebration, demonstrating the similarities and links of our shared cultures.  An unforgettable performance for all ages. 

 

 

YARINA: REMEMBRANCES OF ECUADOR

Dressed in native costume, Yarina sings in Spanish English, and their native Kichwa, and plays over twenty different indigenous instruments.  This hauntingly beautiful and thrilling program combines music, stories and dance to transport audiences to the Andes.

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HISTORIC PRESENTATIONS

HISTORY'S ALIVE!

THOMAS EDISON: INVENTOR, LECTURER, & PRANKSTER

The greatest inventor of all time, live and in-person, at your school!    One of America's most remarkable minds, Thomas Alva Edison (as portrayed by Broadway performer Patrick Garner), engages your students in this exciting, hands-on, motivational program.    Some audience members will have the chance to help recreate some of his most famous experiments, and along the way, Edison shares several secrets that students can utilize in their day-to-day lives.

 

THE LEWIS & CLARK EXPEDITION: A CELEBRATION OF TEAMWORK

A great American voyage of discovery comes to life in this thrilling new production.  Explore the newly-acquired Louisiana Purchase with Captains Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, and their Native American guide, Sacagawea.

NEW!  THE WRIGHT BROTHERS (& SISTER)  Help solve the mystery of flight.

NEW!  AMERICAN TALL TALES   Paul Bunyan, Pecos Bill and Annie Christmas come to life!

 

LIVING VOICES

Blending video, audio, personal discussion and live performance.

THROUGH THE EYES OF A FRIEND (THE WORLD OF ANNE FRANK)
This stirring program brings the audience into the world of Anne Frank. Recognized as a breakthrough production model for consciousness raising and educating individuals, Through the Eyes of a Friend encourages audiences to discover their personal awareness of stereotypes, prejudice and discrimination.

THE NEW AMERICAN
Hard times in Europe in the early 1900s forced many people to pull up their roots, and set out for a new life in America. This is the story of one of these immigrants, an Irish girl named Bridget, whose first steps in America took her through Ellis Island to New York's Lower East Side.

NEW!   HEAR MY VOICE: WIN THE VOTE   

Suffragettes fight for women's rights.

JOURNEY FROM THE DUST
During the great depression and the dust bowl, one young man experiences the loss of his home, his family, and economic prejudice, but finds the courage to survive.

LA CAUSA
In the late 1960's, a man named Cesar Chavez changed the lives of Latin American farm workers, fought for civil rights, and battled racism and indecent working conditions. Experience this chapter of American history as one young woman balances the demands of her family and culture, and fights to see her people free of poverty.

NATIVE VISION

Native Vision is the experience of Native Americans in the 1930's and 1940's. A Navajo girl explores her family's past while struggling to keep her culture in a government-run boarding school. Her vision of becoming a modern healer in a changing world is brought to life as her community joins the U.S. in World War Two.

ISLAND OF HOPE
A new immigration story created especially for younger audiences.

THE RIGHT TO DREAM
The story of a young African-American's coming of age in Mississippi during the 1950s and 1960s is vividly told in this compelling story.

WITHIN THE SILENCE
A moving, personal view of the Japanese-American internment during World War II. A poignant illustration of life in the camps that points to the dangers of racism and prejudice.

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MAGIC

THE BALSTERS

DUCK SOUP!
Tim and Robin dazzle audiences with their display of prestidigitation! This fast-paced spectacle features large illusions such as the Broomstick Suspension, an amazing defiance of gravity; Metamorphosis, Houdini's mysterious masterpiece; and Duck Soup, in which kids learn the hilarious consequences of not following instructions.

SEASON 'S GREETINGS
This festive production features a magic elf, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, upbeat music, toy soldiers, and magically appearing white doves - all set in a winter wonderland.

THE WIZARD'S APPRENTICE AND THE MAGIC BOOKMARK
Tim and Robin Balster present an all-new magic spectacular. Join Harriet Peabody as Willard the Wizard of Wisdom teaches her that the greatest secrets to magic and life is to possess good reading skills and to know how to find the books she needs. With its large illusions and innovative masks, this is an audience-participation treat for all!

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RESIDENCIES & WORKSHOPS

Theatreworks USA offers a variety of workshops and residencies in acting, directing, puppetry, song-writing, playwriting and Shakespeare.

 

 

If you'd like to bring a play or musical to your venue, go to the "Touring Productions" page.
To take your students to see a show, please go to the "Class Trips" page



Theatreworks/USA is a 501(c)(3) charitable and educational institution funded by corporations, foundations and individuals like you. Learn more.
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