Nashville Children's Theatre
Encyclopedia
Nashville Children's Theatre (NCT) is the oldest professional children's theatre company in America. It is also Tennessee's only professional, non-profit theatre dedicated exclusively to kids and families.
NCT was established in 1931 by the Junior League
of Nashville. NCT has performed at the historic Belcourt Theatre
, Vanderbilt University
and Belmont University
. In 1960, the city of Nashville
built a new performance space specifically as home for NCT which NCT still uses to this day.
Each year, NCT produces four or more professional productions for audiences ranging from pre-school to adult. Every NCT production is backed by a team who share a common commitment to children's theatre and arts education.
An average season for NCT spans 36 weeks and features over 200 performances for both school groups and family audiences. As part of the theatre's "School Performance Series", approximately 60,000 schoolchildren attend NCT performances each year, and an additional 15,000 kids and adults attend NCT for the theatre's "Weekend Family Series." The theatre offers school and weekend tickets to ensure that students and families from throughout the region's can attend at an affordable price.
NCT offers a line-up of productions ranging from plays which explore issues and experiences young people encounter in contemporary society to adaptations of classic literature, historical subjects, and award-winning children's books.
Nashville Children's Theatre offers year-round arts education programming to supplement NCT's regular season of performances, and the theatre's education initiatives also provide arts experiences that develop children's creativity and encourage a life-long interest in the arts.
Altogether Nashville Children's Theatre serves 75,000 children and adults annually, and each year NCT provides some 7,500 free tickets and many camp scholarships to children throughout Nashville and Middle Tennessee.
TIME Magazine ranked NCT as one of the top five children's theatres in the country.
NCT was established in 1931 by the Junior League
Junior League
The Association of Junior Leagues International, Inc. is a non-profit organization of 292 Junior Leagues in Canada, Mexico, United Kingdom and the United States. Junior Leagues are educational and charitable women's organizations aimed at improving their communities through volunteerism and...
of Nashville. NCT has performed at the historic Belcourt Theatre
Belcourt Theatre
The Belcourt Theatre is a 2-cinema theater operating in Nashville's Hillsboro Village district. It is operating by a non-profit organization, and features independent films, as well as live performances.- History :...
, Vanderbilt University
Vanderbilt University
Vanderbilt University is a private research university located in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Founded in 1873, the university is named for shipping and rail magnate "Commodore" Cornelius Vanderbilt, who provided Vanderbilt its initial $1 million endowment despite having never been to the...
and Belmont University
Belmont University
Belmont University is a private, coeducational, liberal arts university located in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. It is the largest Christian university in Tennessee and the second largest private university in the state, behind nearby Vanderbilt University.-Belmont Mansion:Belmont Mansion...
. In 1960, the city of Nashville
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
built a new performance space specifically as home for NCT which NCT still uses to this day.
Each year, NCT produces four or more professional productions for audiences ranging from pre-school to adult. Every NCT production is backed by a team who share a common commitment to children's theatre and arts education.
An average season for NCT spans 36 weeks and features over 200 performances for both school groups and family audiences. As part of the theatre's "School Performance Series", approximately 60,000 schoolchildren attend NCT performances each year, and an additional 15,000 kids and adults attend NCT for the theatre's "Weekend Family Series." The theatre offers school and weekend tickets to ensure that students and families from throughout the region's can attend at an affordable price.
NCT offers a line-up of productions ranging from plays which explore issues and experiences young people encounter in contemporary society to adaptations of classic literature, historical subjects, and award-winning children's books.
Nashville Children's Theatre offers year-round arts education programming to supplement NCT's regular season of performances, and the theatre's education initiatives also provide arts experiences that develop children's creativity and encourage a life-long interest in the arts.
Altogether Nashville Children's Theatre serves 75,000 children and adults annually, and each year NCT provides some 7,500 free tickets and many camp scholarships to children throughout Nashville and Middle Tennessee.
TIME Magazine ranked NCT as one of the top five children's theatres in the country.