Educational Theatre Company

EIN: 52-2081464

Mission Statement

Founded in 1998, Educational Theatre Company’s mission is to unlock the potential of children and adults through immersion in theatre arts. ETC provides process-driven theatre arts programming for students from ages 3 -103. We make artistic expression available to all by fostering growth and learning in our communities.  

All ETC programming highlights our four pillars: Creativity, Confidence, Collaboration, and Community. We eliminate the transportation barrier by bringing our programs to where students already are – at schools, community centers, and senior living homes.

Program Summary

CAMPS AND CLASSES

Camps: Spring break & summer camps for ages 3-18 in improvisation, playwriting, Shakespeare, musical theatre, etc. 
After School: Theatre enrichment in schools & community centers for grades K-8.
Neighborhood Classes: Outdoor classes for PreK-8th in your neighborhood.
ETC Beginnings for Preschoolers (ETCB): Classes and camps that grow motor skills and encourage sensory, intellectual, & social development.
ETC-on-Film: Hands-on training and experience for students in 3^rd – 12^th grades to create their own films.
Creative Age: Lectures, readings, discussion, & devising for ages 55+ including courses for students with dementia.

RESIDENCIES AND WORKSHOPS

Main Stage: Elementary students develop an original musical or use classroom curriculum to develop a straight play. Students write lines & lyrics, create their own characters, and design & produce the production elements. 
Shakespeare in the Schools (SIS): Professional actors perform for students, lead workshops & residencies to make Shakespeare accessible. 
Devising Hope: Using devised theatre techniques to create scenes, monologues, & movement pieces that address homelessness or combat racism, all culminating in a performance for our communities.
Drama Days: Elementary students enjoy a day of acting, music, visual arts, & creative movement at school during student holidays and conferences.

SCHOOL CURRICULUM-BASED PROGRAMS

ETC In-School: Theatre workshops to support curriculum and state & national Standards of Learning for grades PreK-12 in the classroom, partnering directly with the classroom teacher. Pre-recorded workshops are also available for grades 6-12, such as Clowning & Stage Combat.
ETC STEAM: Classes, camps, and residencies using theatre techniques to reinforce Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics.
ETC ESOL/HILT: Classes with students for whom English is not a first language, supporting language arts objectives like building vocabulary, reading proficiency & public speaking skills through theatre arts.

Impact Statement

Our impact is best expressed by this (abbreviated) statement from a teacher:

My name is Megan Chaney, and I teach at Drew Elementary in the Community Peer Program pre-k class. My classroom is a mixed ability class, with half of my students having a disability. Some of my students are on the Autism spectrum, some are non-verbal…My students and I were lucky to have Ms. Katie McCreary come to our room once a week for two months. While she was leading instruction, I saw students come out of their shells and join in the imaginative learning. Ms. Katie provided meaningful lessons that both allowed students a creative outlet and supported learning in the classroom.

When Ms. Katie was not in the classroom, the things she taught our students continued to be accessible to them. There was a noticeable increase in creativity among the students in their play, and perhaps most excitingly to me, in their problem solving. Where students would sometimes previously get frustrated, they now could turn situations into a chance to get creative….I was so pleased with the growth my students showed in those two months with the guidance of Ms. Katie and the ETC program.

What ways can the public get involved?

ETC is always seeking volunteers as board members (board members meet quarterly for committees and full board meetings and are encouraged to volunteer at various points throughout the year).  We are also open to volunteers who can help organize and maintain our storage unit, sort t-shirts, and make deliveries during the camp season to camp locations throughout Arlington.

We are regularly in need of pro bono legal support (though often only once a year to check language on documents, etc.).

ETC performances are free and open to the public, and we encourage audience members from the community to join us, talk about what you’ve seen, and spread the word about ETC!  Joining our newsletter via our website is the best way to stay up-to-date on all things ETC.

How are charitable dollars spent? Where does my donation go?

$100 Provides a scholarship for a student over the age of 55 to participate in an online multi-week session of Creative Age
$500 Brings four actors into a school for a performance and workshops with Shakespeare in the Schools
$5000 Provides a full quarter of weekly PreK in-school programming to six classrooms
$10,000 pays for an entire session of Devising Hope: The Stories that Bind Us, presenting personal stories of racism shared by participants as a means of disrupting racism in our communities

Information provided April 2025