COMPASS CREATIVE DRAMATICS
  • Home
  • In-person Classes & Camps
    • Camp with us >
      • Summer Theatre Camps >
        • 2022 Chicago Summer Theatre Camps
        • 2022 Wisconsin Summer Theatre Camps
        • 2022 Bedford Summer Theatre Camp
      • Scholarship Information
    • Classes >
      • St. James Spring Classes
      • PreK - 5th Grade
      • Teaching Artist Education
  • Bring us to you
    • Performance Residencies
    • Script Development Residencies
    • Creative Play Residencies
    • Workshop Residencies
    • A-La-Carte Enrichment Workshops
    • Play Library Catalog
    • Media Kits for Sponsoring Organizations
  • About Us
    • Mission, History & Staff
    • Contact Us
    • Teaching Artists
    • The Buzz About CCD
    • Stories Behind the Statistics
    • In the News
    • Work with Us
    • CCD Blog
    • Photo Gallery
    • Wish List and Donations
    • Photo Credits
    • Donation Requests

3 Reasons Theatre Class Makes the Perfect Holiday Gift

11/11/2019

0 Comments

 
By Cathlyn Melvin          ||          Holidays, Arts Scene
Did I say perfect?

 Yes. Yes, I did. And here are just three (of many more**) reasons I believe that's true.

1) The gift of experience doesn’t clutter your kids’ bedrooms.

You won't have to Marie Kondo this gift later on!
Compass Creative Dramatics Theatre Camp Christmas Hannukah Holiday GiftImpairs creative thinking?! Oh, no! Get that kid to theatre camp, stat!
Clutter messes with our brains, man. Too many things makes it hard for your kids (and you) to keep things tidy—and that stresses everybody out! Clutter causes sensory overload. We stress about it because we can't think clearly when we're dealing with it. It can even affect our ability to think and be creative. That's bad news for kids' developing brains. 

Also, apparently you'd almost cut your housework in half just by getting rid of household clutter. Whaaaaaat.


So, yeah. Let's all request our friends and families to give the gift of experience instead of toys and gadgets this year.

​
In her article “18 Excellent Gifts for Kids That Aren't Even Toys,” Rachel Jones, mother of 6, ranks “Classes” as her number one non-toy gift.

We at Compass Creative Dramatics have to agree.

Check out this post on becomingminimalist.com for even more reasons that trading in a toy for an experience can benefit your kids.


2) Giving your children the gift of experience shows you pay attention to what your kids like.

Compass Creative Dramatics Theatre Camp Teamwork Christmas Hanukkah Holiday GiftTeamwork makes the dream work, y'all.
Does your preschooler run around the house pretending to be Buzz Lightyear? Let them explore outer space playing "Magic Elevator" at theatre class.

Does your fourth grader shut her door so she can belt “Tomorrow, tomorrow, I love you, tomorrow!” at the top of her lungs without eye rolls from her brother? (I was that kid. That was me.) At summer theatre camp, she'll be rewarded for singing loudly.

Is your teen aching to perform? Give her the opportunity to find the kids who share that passion at summer camp.

Everyone loves for their interests to be noticed.

Your student might also be super into Minecraft, or coding, or other digital activities. Their are so many cool hobbies for kids in Gen Alpha.


But there's a lot to be said for face-to-face, guided social activities like theatre that make kids feel like they're part of something bigger. ​

3) The experiences gained, and memories made, can literally last kids the rest of their lives.

Way back in 2012, when we were just starting Compass Creative Dramatics, we collected stories of folks from all different industries, of all ages, who could say "I did a play once!" And what we learned is that those experiences mattered. They shifted focuses, grew hearts, and altered life paths.

Theatre sticks with you. And the stories we collected are proof of that.

When a kid does theatre, it doesn't just stretch their bravery and their creativity. They exercise teamwork and expand their capacity for empathy, they learn to respect peers and non-peers, and through all that, they build their ability to trust and engage with adults and students alike.

If your child has attended one of our theatre camps or classes, you’ve probably seen that first-hand. And if your child hasn’t yet joined us—this is the year! Give your student the gift of art, of creativity, of collaboration, of experience.

It’s a gift they’ll remember all their life.

- Cathlyn
Register for Winter Theatre Classes
Register for Summer Theatre Camp
**Oh, you want more? Here are a few: physical activity, intellectual stimulation, arts exposure, critical thinking, teamwork and collaboration outside of their ordinary peer group, delayed gratification/an experience to look forward to, making new friends, reuniting with old friends, enjoying shared interests, expanding interests, encouraging healthy habits, increased confidence, unplugging for the week. Phew. Sure sounds like the perfect gift to me.

0 Comments

3 Children's Shows to Check Out During Chicago Theatre Week

1/9/2015

0 Comments

 
By Cathlyn Melvin          ||          Family Fun, Arts Scene
Two weeks from now, we'll be starting our Spring Tour of 2015, including residencies in and around Chicago, as well as our Spring Break Script Development Camps in Waukegan, IL and Sheboygan, WI!

Oh, and did I mention that January through May is  prime Summer Camp Prep Season? I didn't? Well, it's true. We're organizing your registrations, ordering your summer camp swag, completing our costume build, printing backdrops, and all sorts of good stuff. We're busy busy busy.

But like JJ, a camper in Wisconsin, told us, "It's gonna be super hard to wait for the next play!" So. To help pass the time until summer camp, here are three productions you can check out during Chicago Theatre Week, February 12th - 22nd.
Children's Theatre Chicago
1) Lions in Illyria at Lifeline Theatre

Lions in Illyria is a brand-new adaptation of Twelfth Night, a play by William Shakespeare (you might remember him from a workshop at Summer Camp 2013!). It's a World Premiere, which means that this is the first time anyone has put on this play anywhere in the world.

In Lions in Illyria, a young lioness named Violet is separated from her brother by a storm at sea. All alone, she disguises herself as a boy lion, and joins up with a peacock on a quest to claim the attentions of the most graceful gazelle in town. But soon Violet is torn between multiple masters and her adventure takes a turn for the absurd when she becomes entangled in the clownish antics of a wacky warthog and his featherbrained dodo sidekick. Travel to the weird and wonderful land of Illyria in a magical comedy loaded with music, monkeys, and mayhem.

To order $10 Theatre Week tickets, visit Lifeline's online box office, pick your dates, and use the code THWEEK when purchasing. Lions in Illyria is recommended for students age 5 and up (children under 2 not admitted).
Children's Theatre Chicago
2) The Selfish Giant at Chicago Children's Theatre

The Selfish Giant is a musical (with puppets!) based on a story written by a man named Oscar Wilde, who wrote stories, plays, and poems. In this story, a  giant tells children that they aren't allowed to play in his garden. After the children are locked out, the trees and flowers stop growing and everything in the garden freezes. Just like in the movie Frozen, everything turns to winter. Then one morning, the children sneak back into the garden, and their joy brings springtime back to the garden.

You can order $15 Theatre Week tickets to this production by calling Chicago Children's Theatre at 872-222-9555. The Selfish Giant is suitable for all ages.
Children's Theatre Chicago
3) Symphony of Clouds at DePaul Theatre School

Follow the adventures and joyful milestones in the life of young Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: boy genius, musical prodigy, and gifted composer. Discover how nature inspires and impacts Mozart, and how his family faces the acclaim, fame, trials, and tribulations of his early creative life in this story infused with music, dance, and a bit of magic. 

Order your $5 Theatre Week Tickets to Symphony of Clouds by calling 312-922-1999. Symphony of Clouds is suitable for all ages.
Children's Theatre Chicago
(L to R) ) Kate McDermott as Olivia and Brandi Lee as Violet in Lions in Illyria, running through  February 15, 2015 at Lifeline Theatre. Photo by Suzanne Plunkett.
And, hey, if you're one of our students who lives outside of Chicagoland, don't worry! There are plenty of experiences for you to check out in your own neck of the woods over the next few weeks!

If you're in Lawrence County, Indiana, make a visit to The Little Theater of Bedford for their production of The Sound of Music, or take a trip to Bloomington for IU's production of Romeo & Juliet (have your parents talk to the folks at IU to make sure that this one is age-appropriate for you!).

For our Southeastern Wisconsin students, catch Peter Pan Jr. at Theatre For Young Audiences before it closes on January 25th! If Mom and Dad are up for a road trip, head down to First Stage in Milwaukee to see Stargirl (suitable for ages 10+).

Can't make it to any of these great shows? That's okay! Celebrate Theatre Week by writing a short play, acting out a favorite story, or reading a play out loud with friends! Go ahead and stretch those creativity muscles, and let us know:

How are you going to celebrate Theatre Week 2015?

- Cathlyn
0 Comments

    Archives

    June 2021
    May 2021
    June 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    February 2018
    November 2017
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    July 2014
    January 2014
    September 2013
    July 2013

    Categories

    All
    Arts Scene
    Community
    Education
    Entrepreneurs
    Family Fun
    Holidays
    Interview
    Small Business
    Twenty Questions

    RSS Feed

Stretching Creativity & Bravery Muscles Through Theatre!
Want to keep in touch? Join our email list!
Need to get in touch? Give us a call at 773.893.0535, send an email to leadtheway@ccdramatics.com, or Contact us here
Be sure to follow us!
Interested in supporting us? Check out our Wish List Here or donate here: 
Please note, that donations to Compass Creative Dramatics are greatly appreciated and support much need educational theatre work,
​ but are not tax deductible.
Compass Creative Dramatics Privacy Policy can be found here.