Theatre for Learning

CAT brings a youth-driven, student-centered approach to hundreds of students in dozens of schools each year through after-school drama programs that support NYS Arts Standards and NYC Blueprint theatre learning standards while fostering social-emotional and academic growth. 

In FY12, CAT became a NYC City Council Cultural After-School Adventures (CASA) program provider, facilitating after-school theatre programming across NYC public schools. Following this model in FY13, CAT developed the on-going, after-school, theatre-making Theatre Arts Program (TAP) for High School for Construction Trades, Engineering and Architecture (who had no previous theatre programming). Since then, CAT has developed numerous CASA/TAP programs, providing similar theatre-making models in elementary, middle, and high schools across the city. 

CASA supports early learners in exploring and developing stories, and middle and high schoolers in identifying and sharing their opinions about the world around them. These ideas are then turned into original theatre. Students develop performance and public speaking skills, negotiate with others in their group to communicate their ideas, and then share their ideas in an original piece of theatre for family, friends, and school staff.

Also available: NYC Student Shakespeare Festival, CAT Youth Theatre, Professional Development
 

“It’s been very fun being a part of CUNY CAT and doing all these fun projects. It made me wanna have this class every day!” — After-School Participant

“I learned that acting out issues can make you feel like they are actually happening in your life, allowing you to sympathize/empathize with others.” — After-School Student

“It’s a program where you act, write your own stories, and have fun! It was awesome and they should do more of this so other kids could do it.” — After-School Participant

“The final performance was an example of what happens when dedicated and passionate artists work with dedicated and passionate students. The students produced a variety of poems, songs, scenes, and dialogues that were a prime example of the creativity, passion and hard work that they exemplify in every area of their lives. I was blown away by how professional and heartfelt the performances were.” — High School Community School Director

Theatre Arts Players (TAP) at H.S.C.T.E.A.

High School of Construction Trades, Engineering and Architecture - THEATER ARTS PLAYERS

Since 2011, the Theatre Arts Players (TAP) program has been providing students of HSCTEA with the opportunity to learn the art of theater, develop individual strengths, acquire collaboration skills and create their own production. The group meets once a week to focus on theater arts—acting technique, improvisation, devising, ensemble work, rehearsal—and culminates with an original play created by the students and directed by Keith Johnston.

CTEA-TAP's 2014 cast

CTEA-TAP onstage, 2014

CTEA-TAP Alumni came back to support current students