Children's Theatre Company Receives $75K NEA Grant to Support New Work

National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Acting Chairman Joan Shigekawa announced today that Children's Theatre Company (CTC) is one of 895 nonprofit organizations nationwide to receive an NEA Art Works grant. CTC is recommended for a $75,000 grant to support the commissioning and production of new work for young audiences.

The NEA grant will support development and production of three new works that investigate three very different community perspectives through theatrical and aesthetic styles that advance the field of theatre for young audiences. The commissioned pieces include 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, an immersive, site-specific work by Ryan Underbakke that will transport audiences to an underwater world where they will become part of the story; Seedfolks, a one-actor show based on Paul Fleischman's book about an empty lot that unites an urban community; and a multimedia stage adaptation of The Arrival, Shaun Tan's wordless graphic novel of the immigrant experience, led by CTC Artistic Director Peter C. Brosius and co-created by Jocelyn Clarke and composer Judd Greenstein. All three works are under consideration for upcoming seasons.

Acting Chairman Shigekawa said, "The National Endowment for the Arts is proud to support these exciting and diverse arts projects that will take place throughout the United States. Whether it is through a focus on education, engagement, or innovation, these projects all contribute to vibrant communities and memorable experiences for the public to engage with the arts."

"Children's Theatre Company is thrilled to receive such significant support from the NEA for three new projects in development," says CTC Artistic Director Peter Brosius. He continues, "In each of these projects we are working to push the definitions of theatre and to create startlingly new work that engages the audience in ways that are unexpected, complex and thrilling. It is work that transforms the theatre into an action adventure experience in which the audience fully participates as they move through a series of site specific environments."

Art Works grants support the creation of art that meets the highest standards of excellence: public engagement with diverse and excellent art, lifelong learning in the arts, and enhancing the livability of communities through the arts. The NEA received 1,528 eligible Art Works applications, requesting more than $75 million in funding. Of those applications, 895 are recommended for grants for a total of $ 23.4 million. For a complete listing of projects recommended for Art Works grant support, visit the NEA website at arts.gov.

Children's Theatre Company (CTC) is the only theatre for young people to win the coveted Tony® Award for Outstanding Regional Theater. Founded in 1965, CTC serves more than 250,000 people annually and is one of the 20 largest theater companies in the nation. The company is noted for defining worldwide standards for youth theatre with an innovative mix of classic tales, celebrated international productions and challenging new work.

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