Whidbey Children's Theater is Moving to LMS Auditorium

Just in from the Whidbey Children's Theater:

It is so perfectly fitting that as I write this letter to you today, Whidbey Children's Theater is literally rattling and humming with the songs and laughter of 35 kids who are busy moving through a virtual tornado, traveling a magical, yellow-brick road into adventures and enchantment, preparing for their last performance in our current location. The Wizard of Oz will transport these kids and their audiences from the safety of a Kansas home, into an unknown and magical world. And once travelled, the yellow-brick road will bring us all right back home again: But soon, under a new roof.

After over thirty years of history, the last 7 of which have been at The Porter Building in Langley, Whidbey Children's Theater is very excited to announce our relocation into the old Langley Middle School theater!

We have loved being in central Langley - under the friendly roof of our great patron, Jim Porter - and we have many mixed feelings about leaving this beloved location. This theater is filled with memories of smiles, laughter, paint, music, dancing, applause, hugs, costuming, games, and the instruction and guidance of many different directors and volunteers. Memories of friends made, lessons learned, challenges met, strengths and talents found and developed. We leave this location with our hearts full, and some tears.

Moving to our new home on the historic campus of Langley Middle School is both timely and very, very fitting. Not just a new address, our relationship with the school district will open doors into a whole new world for Whidbey Children's Theater and the youth of this community. Our tenancy there will breathe new life into a beloved historic structure and allow more children to experience the magic of this special community youth theater program.

WCT will continue to bring the same dynamic programming we've shared for the past 30 years to our new stage, as well as some new collaborative efforts we're working on that will enhance our program. At a time when the school can no longer offer it themselves due to lack of funding and declining enrollment, WCT can include more kids in more aspects of this world of performing arts; from set design to screenwriting, directing and more!

Performing arts have a valuable place in our community. Children who participate in the arts develop and build their self-confidence and self-expression, and learn positive life skills like teamwork, discipline and dedication. With this relocation, WCT can continue in its work to help create a world of great possibility and potential for generations to come.

This is where you come in! We can't do it without your help.

The Langley Middle School theater space is in need of repair and modifications to make it suitable for our program and we have an impressive To-Do List!

Starting on July 15 we will need ALL HANDS on deck. Anyone with a love for theater, for kids, and this community is invited to help with everything from sorting, organizing, hauling, cleaning, moving out, moving in and assorted "what-nots"!

We would love you to consider being a Room Captain! Room Captains help take one of our many rooms in need of TLC from rags to riches. There are many spaces to choose from, including the Green Room, dressing rooms, bathrooms, class-to-office rooms, and more! All help is welcome - so, please call us at 221-8707 to add your name to our volunteer list for this big move!

Our Wish-List includes moving boxes, cleaning supplies, trucks, dollies, brooms, mops, buckets, garbage bags, rags, painting supplies and expertise, and, of course, assistance in coordinating these efforts.

A rough schedule follows:

July 15-17

[LMS] opening up, airing out, sorting, hauling to dumpster, transferring to new on-site storage, and cleaning

[Porter Building] sorting, packing up

July 18-23

[LMS] cleaning new space, moving WCT from Porter Building to new space

[Porter Building] cleaning Porter Building space

July 24-31

[LMS] some painting, loose ends, construction begins, electrical begins, etc.

[Porter Building] some painting, loose ends, last tidy.

Thank you for considering these efforts and thank you, as always, for your support and participation in this beloved children's theater. We look forward to welcoming you to our new location soon as we raise the curtain on WCT's new stage with our opening production of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow in November! Thank you!

For the kids,

Cait Cassee

Interim Executive Director

Whidbey Children's Theater

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