Imaginations Are Sparked At Main Street Theater

Main Street Theater- Now in its 34th season, Main Street Theater’s Education & Youth Outreach Department provides year-round creative opportunities for ages 4 – high school at our theater and at area schools, libraries, and community centers. Our 2021 Summer Camp: Engage! runs all summer long for ages 4 –18 and takes place at 4 locations around Houston: Rice Village (Main Street Theater), Museum District (Italian Cultural Center), Bellaire (Bellaire Parks & Rec), and Midtown (MATCH – Midtown Arts & Theater Center Houston).

Main Street Theater After-School Classes

We offer after-school programs to enrich the theater arts at schools. Our theater classes allow students to experience the creative process from inspiration to performance, learn the fundamentals of drama, focus on collaboration, take pride in the original plays they create, and foster a lifelong interest in the performing arts.

Our after-school classes are available to public and private schools, community centers, libraries, and more.

Main Street Theater In-School Residencies

Theater reinforces the life skills and character qualities valued in any profession: creativity, observation, self-confidence, communication, promise-keeping, leadership, empathy, listening, and teamwork.

Students are encouraged to take risks, be bold, laugh a lot, and have fun!

Theater helps the written word come alive for students. Using a theater-based approach, our in-school residencies advance literacy, poetry, and reading in schools in the greater Houston area. Past partners include North Belt Elementary, Cunningham Elementary, Beth Yeshurun Day School, and The Shlenker School, to name a few.

Main Street Theater Drama Day

Actors and performing artists spend a lifetime exploring the possibilities of theater and performance, but there is a way to introduce your students to a variety of activities in just one afternoon! It’s Drama Day, a fun, fast-paced workshop that gives students an opportunity to participate in a range of hands-on theater projects.

Groups of students rotate through each of four performing-arts related activities over the course of the workshop. Your Drama Day activities may include:

• Theater and improvisation games
• Dance games and exercises
• Mask-making
• Puppet-making
• Stage combat

PERSONALIZED POD CLASSES & CAMPS!

Age groups: 6-8, 9-12; 13 & up

Minimum: 5 children (10 maximum)

Main Street Theater Pods – Theater Delivery Service!

Main Street Theater’s specialized theater pods bring all of the fun of our popular, award winning camps and classes to you!

What are MST Pods?

An MST professional actor/teaching artist will come to your house to facilitate a theater experience for your child and 4-9 other children. We meet for 10 classes, 90 minutes to two hours per class, in a large indoor space or backyard. We work towards a final showcase based on the needs of the particular group. Cost per child $490. Financial aid based on need possible.

What do I need to provide?

We need a main contact, names and emails of the 5-10 participants, and a designated space for classes and performance. We will provide the rest!

MST Pods provide:

P-Personalized Instruction. With a group size of 5-10 and one instructor per 5 students, your child will get specialized attention in theater skills of voice, body, and imagination!

O-Open curriculum. Our classes run 90 minutes to 2 hours and feature theater games and exercises as well as a final project/play/dance that fits your group’s needs. We can do original plays, musical revues, dance, stage combat, arts integration, even Shakespeare! We will work with you to tailor the best theater arts experience for your group. We even bring our own stagecraft tub!

D-Dynamic teachers!  Our teachers are thoroughly vetted and background- checked, consisting of veteran teaching artists who work professionally as performers and technicians. They are skilled, experienced with kids of all ages, fun, and flexible!

S– SAFE! We adhere to all state and local guidelines, including wearing masks, social distancing, temperature checks, and hand sanitizing and washing. We adhere to our COVID policies as much as possible/feasible at your location.

MST Pods Delivery Service Menu:

MST ORIGINAL PLAY

The sky’s the limit! Based on our popular summer camp model, young artists collaborate to create an original play and/or dance.

MST MUSICAL THEATER LAB

Students create an original play incorporating popular songs and dances created by the teaching artist in collaboration with the ensemble.

SHAKESPEARE FOR ALL

Students are introduced to the Bard in a fun, physical way, exploring either fantasy (A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM) or fun and frightening (MACBETH)

ARTS INTEGRATION/ STEAMWORK!

Using our games and exercises from our programs that have had successful runs in HISD schools to promote literacy and help solidify STEAM concepts.

CREATE YOUR OWN!

Our professional staff is very flexible, and we have a big tool kit of theater offerings.