The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati (TCTC), the country’s oldest theater for young audiences, is excited to announce a new destination for theater education and expansion of its reach into the community.
The Children’s Theatre has long outgrown its space on Oaklawn Drive, where it has hosted children’s and community activities for more than five years. Seeking to expand, TCTC Board of Trustees recommended purchasing a building at 4015 Red Bank Road in Hyde Park from the G&G Manufacturing Company. After lengthy analysis, the building was purchased in December 2014.
The new facility will offer more space for drama, vocal music and dance-specific studios for the ever-growing performing arts classes offered by TCTC. A small 150-seat performance space will also be a key component, along with a costume shop and expanded rehearsal space for both MainStage productions as well as ArtReach touring shows. The company’s administrative offices will be housed in the new facility as well.
Important to note: The Children’s Theatre’s four professional, Broadway-style MainStage productions will continue to be performed in the historic Taft Theatre in downtown Cincinnati.
Construction began in June with a December 2015 move-in date scheduled. Once up and running, the facility will be a measurable draw for visitors and students from the entire region, bringing more people to the area and more patrons to local businesses. The total cost of the project is $6.5 million dollars. The Children’s Theatre is conducting a capital campaign for the project, and has secured a generous lead gift from the dissolution of The Corbett Foundation. “The Trustees of The Corbett Foundation are pleased that a portion of the final disbursement of the Foundation’s funds could be used to support the expansion of The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati. We believe Mr. & Mrs. Corbett would have been pleased as well to see their legacy continue to benefit an organization that is creating the future arts patrons of our city,” said Karen McKim, Executive Director of The Corbett Foundation.
With the $100 million Medpace corporate campus expansion happening at the intersection of Red Bank Road and Madison Road, TCTC is thrilled to be relocating right down the street in the midst of this Cincinnati development renaissance. The growth potential, the attractiveness of the city and the ability to serve more children all point to The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati making a big impact in the community.
“The Children’s Theatre expansion demonstrates how our continued growth encompasses all facets of our City,” said Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley. “The Arts are one of our finest assets. As we witness continued business growth, we cheer the outstanding educational and cultural opportunities that expand for the children in our neighborhoods, as well. We are proud that The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati chose Hyde Park, in close proximity to both Oakley and Madisonville, as their new home. Young performers will continue to cultivate an appreciation for The Arts as they hone their craft. With the expanded Children’s Theatre offerings, we are excited that additional families, from throughout our region, will be drawn to the area to experience one of our finest assets… the Arts. Congratulations to The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati!”
“Cincinnati is a town on the move,” said Kim Deaton, Managing Director & CEO of The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati. “All signs point to a growing infrastructure, more jobs, more people, more opportunity. With an increased focus on the family, TCTC plans to be there, as it has for the last 90 years, providing the best educational and entertainment opportunities for arguably the most important element in the future of our city….our children — and now we’ll have a state-of-the-art facility in which to provide those life-changing experiences.”
Each year, The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati contributes to the vibrancy and cultural vitality of our region by providing nearly 175,000 children and their families with arts-exposure opportunities through performances, workshops and art-making experiences. That number is expected to grow exponentially when the new facility is up and running. For example, with the new studio spaces, The Children’s Theatre will have the capacity to provide up to 1,800 students with performing arts instruction in just one, 12-week session of a drama, vocal or dance class.
This exciting growth opportunity cements The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati’s commitment to leadership in arts education. Expanding classes is a logical extension of The Children’s Theatre brand. A new facility allows TCTC to meet demand, grow the class schedule and create additional variety. It also supports engaging in the evolution of future performing arts performers and patrons beyond our current scope.
Kim Deaton further explains, “We will be able to offer young performers a natural path in performing arts instruction beginning with classes at age six, transitioning to our stARTs and STAR Programs, with an end goal of auditioning for professional theater productions not only at The Children’s Theatre, but throughout the Tri-state region and nationally as well. While growing a child’s skill in performing arts, we look always to further develop the child as a whole as well. For example, a child becomes a better speaker by taking one of our acting classes, which increases their self-esteem, allowing them to become a leader in another field. On the patron side, the current average age of children in attendance for our MainStage shows is six years-old. A new theatrical facility gives us the opportunity to program for new audiences, including preschoolers as well as middle and high school students. Thus, we begin the creation of future arts patrons in Cincinnati at an even earlier age, and extend their engagement through high school.”