I have always been enthralled with live theater and hope to pass that love onto my children. After starting LocalKidFun.com I discovered a hidden gem right here in our community that has allowed me to enjoy some wonderful shows with my children. The discovery of Fayette-Coweta Family Theatre, Inc. under the direction of Tammy Barton was like finding a gold mine in my own back yard. FCFT offers 6 family friendly shows per season held in various venues throughout the community. They also offer workshops, production camps and weekly acting classes for aspiring youth ages 5 -18.
The first show I saw was a small production put on by the students of a six week work shop. The show was free. The theatre was mostly filled with family members of the actors. For many of the children, this was their first experience in performing live in front of an audience. I honestly wasn’t expecting much, but thought my kids might enjoy this particular “kid show”. As it turned out, I was blown away by the junior musical and the talent showcased. I watched one little girl struggle a little bit with her nerves as she spoke in the first scene, only to hear her belt out the most beautiful song solo at the end. Her performance of that song put tears in my eyes. The show was incredible.
The next FCFT performance I attended was “School House Rock”, a part of their “A Company of Friends Educational Production”, the professional troupe. Again, I was impressed. For less than the price of a movie, we had a wonderful family bonding moment that continues as we still sing the songs from that show.
Besides pure enjoyment and affordable family entertainment, exposing your children to the arts can be a positive influence in their lives. Plays are like books coming to life. The audience gets to experience the story using all senses and feels a part of the excitement and unfolding drama. Attending theatre with your child may also inspire them to have the courage to try something new. Acting for the love of playing characters can give a child confidence and an inner strength that they will carry with them throughout their lives. According an article for Scholastic called “Supporting the Arts: Why it’s important to connect to the creative side of school.” by Carol Pitterman, there are 3 benefits of drama class:
- Sharpens sense of plot, setting, and characters — all integral aspects of being a good reader, too!
- Improvisation is fun and allows a chance to act silly in school.
- Flexes memory muscles when it's time to remember lines.
The article suggests you can give your child a head start with acting skills such as confidence and character voice development by reading aloud together.
The next show my family and I will attend is FCFT’s Mulan Jr. held in early November. Mention “LocalKidFun.com” while making your reservation and receive a special discount on concessions at the show. To find out more about FCFT’s workshops and upcoming shows, got to http://www.fcft.net.
For a list of other local theatre companies and their upcoming shows Click Here to go to LocalKidFun.com's Family Theater page.
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