Spotlight on CTW's Pizza and a Play Program, March, 2010
Children's Theatre Workshop, located in Wilmington, MA is dedicated to providing a space for children ages 4-14 to explore imagine, create and have fun through the world of theatre arts. We run classes as well as vacation and summer clinics. We are always a work in progress! Though we do enjoy entertaining our family and friends with our end of the session show - the process is what we focus on. No child has to perform in one of our shows...it's optional! Our goal is to instill the joy of theatre and the world of pretend and in doing so, help to grow happy, healthy, confident kids.
Since it's beginning The Children's Theatre Workshop has focused on the philosophy of "Creative Drama". Creative Drama is different from traditional theatre classes in that the primary focus is the participants NOT the performance. This philosophy is especially beneficial for children ages 4-9 when participants can benefit from dramatic experience if there is no pressure to perform. As our students grow, we have found that we need to grow as an organization as well. Children who started with us at age 8 are now entering Middle School. They have moved beyond wanting "Creative Dramatics" - they are ready to perform!
First and foremost, Joanie Walsh (CTW Founder and Executive Director) is the mom of Ryan, Kyra and Cameron Walsh and wife of Jay (who does not have a theatrical bone in his body but will gladly talk sports!) She holds a minor degree in theatre and took theatre classes for many years as a child. She has performed in a number of shows from Grease to MacBeth and Cabaret to Lysistrata. As a singer and guitarist, Joanie is also a former member (many years ago!) of the Irish Band "Murphy's Law" that performed on the Irish pub scene in the 80's. The Children's Theatre Workshop was just a dream that sat in the back of her head as a "someday I'd like to run a theatre school"... until little miss Kyra said she wanted to try "doing plays". Looking around, Joanie found that classes were expensive and often far away. So...with a great deal of research, no money, positive thoughts and a lot of faith...The Children's Theatre Workshop was formed to bring theatre arts to local children at an affordable price. Funny how kids push us to realize that dreams just don't have to be dreams...they can be a reality! I will be forever grateful to Kyra for the "push" to follow my dream -I will always push her and her brothers to follow theirs.