At its very core, ICRC's Children's Theatre program empowers young people to make new discoveries about themselves and the world while building a lifelong interest in the arts. Our program is cemented by the idea that the power of theatre can provide a rich individual experience and an all-encompassing community encounter. The staff and volunteers working with the actors are committed to bringing compassion, a sense of wonder, honesty, humor, and joy to all the lives touched. A passion for artistry drives this program forward as we educate and delight.
The young people in all ICRC theatrical productions have developed self-confidence, public speaking, and new relationships. Participants receive the gratifying experiences of learning lines, performing on stage and interacting with peers in a safe and comfortable setting. Working together we rise above any person's limits; and bring pride and joy to young people who are able to live out a dream on stage.
ICRC's Children's Theatre offers the same state-of-the-art education and experiences as those found in much larger cities. With the continuing evolution of the ICRC's Children's Theatre the future looks very bright and exciting for the residents of the Irmo Chapin Recreation Commission area. ICRC will continue to develop arts programs to meet the needs of its citizens; provide exemplary experiences for the actors; and inspire creativity throughout the community.
The costs of producing a show are lot higher than most people realize, and we rely on contributions from individuals and businesses. For each show we have rights & royalties costs, set construction, costumes, props, staffing, and since we don't have our own theatre, we have costs associated with using our performance venues. To help keep the cost for our participants as low as possible, we ask for your help investing in the arts for our up and coming actors.
These production sponsorships are for an individual show. For the current season, the shows are: Murder on the 518, Aladdin Jr., Radium Girls, and Junie B. Jones Jr.
| Benefits/Levels | Producer Sponsor (Presenting Sponsor) | Director Sponsor | Actor Sponsor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recognition on flyers & marketing materials | •Company Name listed with ICRC-CT before play name •Largest size logo along with ICRC logo | •logo on all marketing | •logo on all marketing |
| Advertisement in program | Full page advertisement | Half--page advertisement | Quarter-page advertisement |
| Recognition on cast T-shirts | •Company featured on the front with show logo & ICRC •Largest size logo along with ICRC logo on back | •logo on the back of all shirts | •logo on the back of all shirts |
| Complimentary Tickets | 6 tickets ($60 value) | 4 tickets ($40 value) | 2 tickets ($20 value) |
| Cast Shirts for Sponsor | 6 shirts ($60 value) | 4 shirts ($40 value) | 2 shirts ($20 value) |
| Cast member Meet & Greet at your business | |||
| Sponsor plaque for your business | |||
| Cost per show | $1,500 | $1,000 | $500 |
Cast Member FAQ
ICRC Children's Theatre is a teaching program, and therefore everyone who is enrolled in the show will have a role in the final production. Our auditions will place your child in the role that is a good fit for the story we are telling to our audience, and nobody will get "cut" – as an educational program and firmly feel that everyone who wants to be in theatre has a place with us regardless of experience. You will have an opportunity to fill out an audition form before prior to your child's audition where you can tell us which roles you would like to be considered for, as well as any schedule conflicts you might have. We will be choosing roles for kids based on the actors' strengths and place them in roles where we can both challenge them and also allow them to be successful. We will look at the traits of the characters and place actors in the roles that bring those traits to life on stage.
What happens if I get cut from the show?
Great news . . . we do not cut cast members from the show! If you signed up and paid the registration fee, then you are in the show! We will still hold auditions to place cast members is the best-suited roles.
I've never be on stage before, can I still participate?
Absolutely! For many of our actors we are their first stage experience. We will work with the cast to teach them what they need to know to deliver the show.
So, how does this whole thing work?
Typically, we will have a "first meeting" with the cast -- this is like the first day of school for us. Everyone will come together in one room and you will get your script. During our first meeting we will read through the script so everyone can get a feel for the characters in the show, and in the case of musicals we will teach the whole group the audition dance and go over some of the music in the show. The following week we will hold auditions. The week between our first meeting and auditions is the time when actors can be practicing for the role they want, as well as going over the audition dance as much as possible. We will electronically share a video of the dance, as well as what kids need to prepare for each role so you'll have everything you need at home. Once auditions are complete, the hardest part for us is casting the show. We try to get the cast list out pretty quickly, so kids can start looking at their lines before our first rehearsal. The next time we meet will be our first rehearsal!
We have a vacation already planned, can we still participate?
Depending on when your vacation, or other schedule conflict we can work around it. We will ask for your schedule conflicts on your audition form. If there are a lot of conflicts it can impact the role that cast member gets. Our rehearsals are only one time per week, so the time we have is very important to build the show. If an actor is missing from rehearsal frequently, it can impact other cast member's ability to learn their blocking and lines. The week leading up to a show is called "Tech Week", and tech week is MANDATORY for all actors. This is the week where we move into our theatre space, and we are seeing what the show will really look like for our audience, and there are a lot of adjustments that we usually make.
