Willow Glen Children's Theatre | City of San Jose

	A Program offered through the City of San Jose, Department of PRNS
	WGCT.org

WGCT MISSION STATEMENT

Children transformed through the magic of theatre.
act. improvise. grow.

WGCT HISTORY

Since 1988, Willow Glen Children's Theatre (WGCT) has been giving children of all ages the opportunity to act on stage. Since its early days, director Gavin Coffing has been adamant about providing all children the same opportunities: "We offer every actor the chance to succeed." We continue our tradition of casting every child in our productions.

For twenty years WGCT has one of the San Francisco Bay Area's most innovative children's theatre, partly due to the fact that we always producing new plays.

All our productions begin in Theatre Connection Workshops. Meeting Saturday mornings, children ages 7 & up work closely with the director and theatre staff to create characters and improvised scenes. The young actors also get the opportunity to play fun & interactive theatre games! These workshops culminate in the presentation of an original play written by Gavin Coffing. The children really benefit from the whole process.

Our unique approach to theatre allows children to build their confidence and meet new friends. The fun and interactive games & improvisations help with presentation, speaking, and listening skills. In addition, skills in group work are cultivated through various activities. Because the script is written in increments, the young actors receive it page by page, allowing them to read it during workshops and then again at home. Many past and current participants have improved their reading skills through this process.

WGCT offers a 4-week day camp in the Summer. Campers gather at Bramhall Park to play improvisation games, in which they learn to work together creatively in a supportive environment, culminating in a production in the park's amphitheatre.

We also collaborate with schools, offering several afterschool programs. Past schools include: Willow Glen, Noddin, Booksin Elementary Schools, and Willow Glen Middle.

In addition, we have a very popular class with the 3-5 year olds: Fairy Tale Theatre.

Our staff is talented and dedicated. All of whom have grown up in the program. We ensure that each child is successful from start to finish. These leaders prove to be excellent role models, both inside and out of the theatre.