Sparking creativity in students with Seattle Children's Theatre
For young children, exposure to live theater at an early age can mean increased empathy, increased school engagement, and even higher hopes for their future. Yet despite evidence showing the positive impact of theater on children, there’s often not accessible places young people can go to enjoy live theater. That’s where Seattle Children’s Theatre comes in.
As an important part of the Pacific Northwest arts ecosystem, Seattle Children’s Theatre has been providing children of all ages access to professional theater since 1975. They understand that live theater is a unique space where people can experience a story together, and that these stories can foster connection, uplift diversity, and catalyze change. That’s why they offer a variety of services to children in the Seattle area, from educational services to seasonal plays. Charissa Adams, Institutional Giving Officer at Seattle Children’s Theatre, understands the profound impact these opportunities can have on young artists.
"We are often the first—and sometimes only—experience that young children have with live arts," Adams said, “We want children to know that theater is for them. We believe that it's for everyone, and we want them to believe that too."
One of the most significant ways Seattle Children’s Theatre has connected with local children is through their ‘One&Five’ program. Here, first and fifth grade students in Seattle Public Schools receive free field trip tickets to shows. The results were outstanding.
“[The One&Five program] came out of the pandemic as a way to serve first and fifth graders...Over time, we saw a huge response to it." said Tiffany Maltos, the Adrienne Dillard-Coons Director of Education & Engagement.
Now, thanks to positive community feedback and increased funding from Allen Family Philanthropies, the program has expanded to include free Dramatic Connections Workshops designed to enhance students’ engagement with what they see on stage, and funding for buses to and from the theater during their field trips.
As arts funding in schools continues to decrease on a regional and national level, Seattle Children’s Theatre’s free program is helping fill a critical gap in theatre education for schools in Seattle—and it shows. In the 2024-2025 school year, the One&Five program was able to reach 2,461 first grade students at 42 Seattle Public Schools, and 1,457 fifth graders at 26 Seattle Public Schools.
Part of the reason the One&Five Program is so impactful is because Seattle Children’s Theatre is committed to working with educators to ensure they are properly serving students. Brianna Canning, SCT’s School Partnerships and Programs Manager, is consistently engaging with teachers and other community members to learn what resonates with students, and where they can adjust.
Feedback on the One&Five program has been overwhelmingly positive. Teachers have expressed students’ curiosity to learn about theater and discuss themes and performance elements , even after the program has ended.
“Educators have shared with us that they have a lot of students that are typically shy, struggle to focus, or even who are English language learners, that are engaged in new and unexpected ways." Canning said.
As Seattle Children’s Theatre celebrates its 50th anniversary, the team has immense pride in the positive impact they have made through the decades, and a strong desire to expand. Their 2025-2026 season line-up is a big one, partnering with theater legends like Larissa Fasthorse to bring ‘Fancy Dancer’ on stage, or platforming new works like ‘Young Dragon’ (a story based on a young Bruce Lee) to young and older audiences alike.
Seattle Children’s Theatre also plans to grow their One&Five Program, hoping their service not only reaches Seattle students, but children across the region. SCT is constantly working to remove barriers to make it easier for more people to access their offerings, whether it's curating new and interesting plays to in their season, or increasing accessibility in their buildings. Ultimately, SCT wants their space to be a place where both children and adults can come together and experience the joy of live professional theater.
To learn more about Seattle Children’s Theatre, the work they do, or find tickets to a show, visit their website: https://www.sct.org/