Alice in Wonderland Adventure Beckons!

Alice in Wonderland Adventure Beckons!

Wed May 15 at 10:30 am ET, (SOLD OUT)

Thur May 16 at 10:30 am ET, In person

Fri May 17 at 10:30 am ET, In person and live-streamed

West Village Meeting House

29 South Street West Brattleboro, Vermont 05301

Three cast members rehearse on stage. Alice stands in a blue dress with a white apron next to the Caterpillar characters who sit on a bench.

The Theatre Adventure Wednesday Troupe presents an original adaptation of Lewis Carroll’s tale that inspires imaginative thinking, creative problem-solving, and a delight in the unexpected.

The English author, Lewis Carroll wrote Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland in 1865. 

And now, more than 150 years later, Alice’s adventures with an assortment of zany characters still sparks our own imaginations and tickles our literary senses.

An in-person student stands in front of large monitor that features online actors in their zoom windows rehearsing a scene.

Adventure Beckons 

An excerpt from Leslie L. Kinney’s, “A Poem for Alice.”

I’ll rest my head, perhaps to dream that there might be another scene. With places new to explore, I’m sure that there is something more.

Oh, my goodness. What’s this I hear? A rabbit with a watch, how very queer! He seems to be in a frantic state I think he’s running very late.

Shall I follow? Is there risk? He’s running past, so very brisk. Did he just jump below the ground? Should I follow? Is that sound?

A student sits in a wheelchair wearing a red shirt and cream colored scarf. He smiles at the camera with his hands in his lap.
An actor stands in his Doormouse costume posing with his hand on his hip.

Could there be another world? I wonder what might be unfurled. My curiosity has been peaked. It’s my time to take a leap. 

This hallways strange, so full of doors. The rabbit’s gone so I’ll explore. These doors are locked except just one. It seems adventure’s now begun.

Let’s dance and send your sorrows away and then let’s rest, it’s been a full day.

Join us in Wonderland!

Thank you for being part of our 20th year.

We’ll see you at the show!

Announcing our Documentary!

Theatre Adventure: A Ballad of Belonging

The story of an inclusive community of performing artists in southern Vermont

Save The Date!

Theatre Adventure’s 20th Anniversary Celebration

Friday, November 8th at 6:30 pm ET 

The Latchis Theater in Downtown Brattleboro

More information to come!

In celebration of our 20th anniversary, we are creating a documentary film that will tell the story of our nurturing theater arts community. 

A student stepping out and claiming the stage with a cast behind her.
A teacher and student in pink sweaters pose with their arms out stretched in each of their zoom windows.

Online and in-person actors with disabilities will be featured claiming the stage with passion and dedication, as well as expressing care and thoughtfulness toward one another.

An old archival photo of a young student kneeling and reading from a script.

The documentary will be the centerpiece of our November 8th, 2024 event honoring Theatre Adventure’s past, present, and future.

The documentary will show footage of our core beliefs in action:

  • Everyone deserves respect.

  • A nurturing and welcoming community provides a sense of belonging and is the foundation for building self-confidence, friendships, and leadership.

  • Everyone has the ability to grow and learn new skills.

A student sings on stage while the silhouette of a cheering student in the audience raises their arms.

  • The arts offer many powerful ways to express oneself  

  • Bringing stories to life in theater has the power to dissolve the edges that separate us.

  • Inclusive theater inspires new and positive attitudes about people with disabilities.

2 In person students performing in front of a monitor featuring online students.
A student performs on stage during microphone time.

We have so much we want to share. The documentary will offer an intimate behind-the-scenes view of Theatre Adventure. 

During classes and rehearsals, we witness powerful moments of building self-confidence, courageously expressing self, and discovering one’s artistry, all in a culture of caring about one another. We are excited to invite you to experience the heart of Theatre Adventure–our actors! 

Alice in Wonderland 2024

The Wednesday Troupe Presents:

Alice in Wonderland

The Theatre Adventure Wednesday Troupe presents an original adaptation of Lewis Carroll’s tale that inspires imaginative thinking, creative problem-solving, and a delight in the unexpected.

Alice’s sister reads her a story in our 2016 production of “Alice in Wonderland.”

Please join us!

May 15 and 16 at 10:30 am ET In-person

May 17 at 10:30 am ET In-person and livestreamed

West Village Meeting House

29 South Street, West Brattleboro, Vermont 05301

ASL Interpretation is provided for all performances. The venue is wheelchair-accessible.

TICKETS WILL BE SOLD ONLINE AND AT THE DOOR ON A SLIDING SCALE STARTING AT $15

ONLINE ticket holders will receive an email with a link to view the online shows.

School groups are invited to purchase online group tickets at a reduced rate. Our Disabilities Specialist is ready to discuss accessibility or accommodation needs.

Please email info@theatreadventure.org or call or text 802-380-0458

An actor sings and dances on stage holding a microphone while practicing his performance skills.






The English author, Lewis Carroll wrote Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland in 1865. And now, more than 150 years later, Alice’s adventures with various zany characters still spark our imaginations and tickle our literary senses.



The grumpy Queen of Hearts poses in a large handmade paper crown.

Throughout her encounters, Alice remarks over and over, “This is getting curiouser and curiouser.”

Certainly, life does become more and more curious when, for example, Alice meets the ever-smiling and disappearing Cheshire Cat, as well as the Mad Hatter who seems ever-lost in time, while feasting more on words than tea and crumpets!

The 2016 Mad Hatters crouch with their hands on a railing and look out intently.

Guest artist Jeghetto works with students to construct a very large cardboard Cheshire Cat puppet that will be used in our May production.

Elijah performs as a cool dude Caterpillar in our 2016 Production of “Alice In Wonderland.”

A mentor models performing with full body expression while singing a duet with a toy chipmunk.

Watch an excerpt from our 2016 production of “Alice in Wonderland”

A Troupe Member smiles at the camera while holding hands with a teacher.

Come be in our audience! Theatre Adventure actors inspire awakened views about disability by demonstrating great capabilities. Thank you so much for your support!

info@theatreadventure.org

Summer Expressive Arts Camps Now Enrolling 

Two students sit behind floor drums smiling at each-other in front of a window with a large window showing green foliage.

2024 Summer Expressive Arts Immersive 

One-Week Camps for Youth and Adults with Disabilities 

Join us for dynamic and multi-disciplinary theater arts designed for a mixed-age group. Creativity and inspired teamwork will rule in our inclusive and welcoming environment! We will enjoy one another’s artistry and expressions of self in a nurturing and creative community. Summer troupe members will experience the production of 10-minute plays, percussion, painting, movement, dancing, story construction, poetry, singing, and more! 

A student sits speaking in a microphone, and behind him is a monitor featuring two performers.
An actor stands in a Summery garden in a pink blazer and bowtie holding a colorful hand puppet.

Attend Online or In-person 

In-person classes are held at West Village Meeting House, 29 South Street, West Brattleboro, Vermont 

Monday, June 17th – Friday, June 21st 

Monday, June 24th – Friday, June 28th 

Monday, July 8th – Friday, July 12th 

8:30 am – 12:00 pm 

Sign up for one, two, or all three weeks 

PART-TIME ENROLLMENT EACH WEEK AVAILABLE 

Two teachers and a student pose together smiling wearing colorful feather boas and costumes.

Tuition: 

• $300.00 for one week 

• $400.00 for two weeks 

• $475.00 for all three weeks 

Financial aid is available. For further information, contact our Director: laura@theatreadventure.org      802-387-0765 

Come be part of our creative and inclusive summer troupe!

We will gather online and in-person on the Summer Solstice and for three weeks we will partake in a fruitful and abundant expressive arts camp. 

Students sit around a table painting in the shade of a tree on a sunny day.

In a nurturing and creative community, laughter, friendships, and creating art in all forms will be our guide. The turning wheel of the seasons, the fullness of summer, will inspire us. We will be together online AND in-person mornings for three weeks.  Part-time attendance is an option. Financial aid is available.

2024 New Year’s Greetings!

We are thrilled to announce that 2024 marks a significant milestone for Theatre Adventure.  This year we celebrate our 20th year of offering inclusive theater arts programming for youth and adults with disabilities.  Throughout this year we will be sending photos and highlights from our archives that will feature our actors, teachers, and friends throughout the past twenty years. We will culminate 2024 on November 8th with a special 20th-anniversary celebration to be held at the Latchis Theatre.  Stay tuned for details!

2024 has come knocking and we have answered the door to welcome the promise of new artistic adventures awaiting us in the new year.  We will be staging Alice in Wonderland with the Wednesday Troupe. 

2 actors playing Alice sit with their big sister peering into a large book in Theatre Adventures 2016 production of "Alice in Wonderland"

Alice in Wonderland

May 15 and 16 at 10:30 am ET In person

May 17 at 10:30 am ET In person and live-streamed

West Village Meeting House

29 South Street West Brattleboro, Vermont 05301

Theatre Adventure Actors pose in a half circle with online students on a monitor in their "Belonging" cast photo.

Our teaching team looks forward to a wonderful new semester creating innovative, interesting, thoughtful, and fun theater!

Join us!

Theatre Adventure Wednesday Troupe

Winter/Spring Semester Jan 10 - May 22, 9:00-11:30 pm

Theatre Adventure Thursday Troupe

Winter/Spring Semester Jan 11 - Apr 11, 9:00-12 pm

The Traveling Troupe Sizzles at NECCA’S Hot Jam Puppet Slam last August

Our Traveling Troupe is poised for more gigs in the community during 2024.  During 2023 they performed pieces from a previous show, Daydreaming at a variety of venues--- a library, an elementary school, and a circus arts school.

The Traveling Troupe co-led a workshop on Disability Justice at the Brattleboro Union High School for their Diversity Day.  They will visit the Marlboro Middle School in February with pieces from their recent show, “Belonging.”

To book a visit from the Traveling Troupe contact: info@theatreadventure.org or call 802-387-0765

6 Theatre Adventure teachers sit around a table in a dark room holding glass vases full of twinkle lights that illuminate their smiling faces.

We send out baskets of gratitude to all of our donors who gave so generously to our 2023 Year-End Appeal

We surpassed our goal of $12,000! We have raised $15,000 to support the exciting and empowering work for youth and adults with disabilities that is the heart of Theatre Adventure.  This was possible because of YOUR support and belief in Theatre Adventure.  Thank you!

The Theatre Adventure Team

Catherine, Darlene, Laura H., Laura LT, Leslie, Lori, Maria, Sher, and all of the Mentors/Assistant Teachers- Alauna, Jenny, Jess, Nick, The Board of Directors: Genna, Steve, Janice, Julianne, Melody, Ora, Wendy

The Winter Solstice is upon us.

During this time of lengthening nights, we are reflecting on the inner life of Theatre Adventure. Our actors continue to astound us in their dedication to their artistry. Community partners fill our reservoir of inspiration with belief in the work of inclusive theater. Board members and others help us plan thoughtfully and creatively for the future. Donors instill us with gratitude for the circle of care they provide.

Certainly, with darkness comes the return of the light.How brilliant the light is when together we shine it on Theatre Adventure artists so that they will be seen, heard, and celebrated. Yes, the power of light. The sustenance of light.

The upcoming 2024 Winter/Spring semester will include preparations for our May production, Alice in Wonderland; explorations with improvisation, character development, Red Nose Clown; Traveling Troupe presentations; Mentors honing their leadership skills; and so much more!

Please join us! We have a few spaces still available in both the Wednesday and Thursday Troupes. We are looking for a few bookings for the Traveling Troupe.

May we all move into the new year with lightness of spirit and gentleness of heart.

Counting down the days to our Fall show!

Tickets on Sale!

Nov 8, 9 and 10!

Belonging

Nov 8 and 9 at 10:30 am ET In person

Nov 10 at 7:00 pm ET In person and live-streamed

West Village Meeting House

29 South Street

West Brattleboro, Vermont 05301

We are sending out this invitation to all to join us for our show.  Please imagine you are “coming over for tea.” Our theater will be our living room, and we invite you to join us for fun, laughter, poignant moments of connection, and surprises. Joviality is going to be featured on the menu!

Nettie watches a monitor featuring online performers, Darlene and Elijah doing their clown duo act.

Breathe. Look at the audience. Connect. Give back to the audience. Breathe. Follow your impulse. Trust yourself. Connect. Breathe. Focus on “being” rather than “doing.” Your red nose is the smallest mask in the world.

These are the phrases that our Red Nose Clown guide, Nettie Lane has been using all semester with the Thursday Troupe members.

Two clowns in red noses connect on stage during rehearsal.

The Troupe members are learning and discovering more about themselves as individuals and in relationship with others. 

Smiling students circle up to play clown ball.

We are having great fun playing "Clown Ball" as a whole group in person while the online actors have their own version of "Clown Ball."  The main objective is to connect with eye contact with one's partner----and of course to laugh and have fun! 

Nettie Sits at the base of the stage guiding two clowns through an exercise.

Jeghetto Visits Theatre Adventure!

Wednesday Troupe poses with Jeghetto and their Cheshire Cat puppet.

Jeghetto shows students how to add whiskers to their Cheshire Cat puppet.

During this past week, Theatre Adventure had the great fortune to work with the talented puppeteer and educator Jeghetto, who hails from North Carolina. Because of the generosity of Sandglass Theater and the Vermont Arts Council, an exciting new collaboration was forged with our neighboring theater colleagues.

Noah touches the face of Jeghetto’s T-Rex puppet.

Our work with Jeghetto was an innovative project to help broaden our students’ experience with puppetry and to strengthen our ties with the public schools of some of the Wednesday Troupe members. Working with Jeghetto was a great opportunity for our artists to work with puppetry and art in new ways. 

Online students show off their Cheshire Cat puppets.

Jeghetto’s shares his T-Rex puppet with online students participating in Zoom.

Jeghetto posing with Twin Valley Students holding their Cheshire Cat puppet.

“Our Community-Based Program has been participating in Theatre Adventure programming for several years. This week, famous puppeteer Jeghetto came to Twin Valley Middle High School and helped the students construct this fabulous Cheshire Cat. Thanks for all you do for us and our kiddos. It was so fun!  What a treat to be able to work so closely with an amazing artist.”

-Twin Valley Middle High School

“Thank you all for coming to our class today at the Academy School. The students were talking about it all day! We are looking forward to seeing the “Alice in Wonderland” performance in the spring.” - Academy School Teacher

Jeghetto and the students attach the tail to the Cheshire Cat puppet.

Thursday Troupe students work at a long craft table assembling their self-portraits

The Thursday Troupe was guided in the building of self-portraits created with cardboard and cut-out facial features.  What magic it was to witness twenty different and unique self-portraits emerge during the workshop with Jeghetto.

Because Theatre Adventure programming is designed in a hybrid format, all of the work with Jeghetto was adapted to work well for our online students.  Each online actor created their own Cheshire Cat, as the in-person class worked together on one very large Cheshire Cat. And, each online artist made a self-portrait alongside the in-person artists. 

What are some of the results of our work with Jeghetto? We expanded our group teamwork skills and developed stronger connections with our collaborating public schools. We deepened our students’ understanding of their forthcoming productions while experiencing new opportunities for creative self-expression with a variety of puppet-building materials. And, maybe most importantly, we had bundles of fun and laughter while visiting the schools, and during our own hybrid theater classes.

The power inherent in creating art and building puppets as a community was evident all week. Everyone worked hard, played hard, and felt proud of themselves and each other. What a delight!

Jeghetto and Paul show each other their self-portraits.

Rock Voices Concert

Rock Voices is having a concert this Friday night, 7:30 pm, Aug. 4th at the Brattleboro Union High School and Theatre Adventure is the recipient of their 50/50 raffle.

Rock Voices is a group of local singers who share a passion for singing rock music. Director Bob Thies leads the group in Brattleboro and Keene.

This summer's theme is THE 70's! During each RV session a different local non-profit is chosen to share in the 50/50 raffle. Theatre Adventure is that non-profit this Friday night! 

Come hear some fun rock music and help support Theatre Adventure by purchasing a raffle ticket.

P.S. You might spot someone you know singing!

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/rock-voices-brattleboro-tickets-668321416347

The Traveling Troupe at Hot Jam Puppet Slam

The Traveling Troup will be performing at the Hot Jam Puppet Slam #1

Sunday, August 20

New England Center for Circus Arts Trapezium

10 Town Crier Drive. Brattleboro, VT 05301

Outdoor activities (kid friendly): Live music, silkscreening, Giant Chicken puppet: 4:00

Puppet Slam Variety Show (for adult audiences): 7:00

BRATTLEBORO– North Star Puppets and New England Center for Circus Arts team up to present a festival of puppetry, music, theater, crafts, food and performance. 

On Sunday, August 20, the first Hot Jam Puppet Slam will take place at NECCA’s Trapezium with a two-part event.

The first part is a Family Fun Festival, offered outdoors under the circus tent, from 4-7 pm. The schedule includes performances and activities for all ages with silkscreening, live music by Stephen Peter Rodgers, family puppet show by Wandering Theatre, craft workshop with Anything Can Be A Puppet, and food.

The Family Fun Festival is by donation, no tickets are needed. A detailed schedule of activities can be found at www.circusschool.org.

At 7:00 pm, the event moves indoors for the Hot Jam Puppet Slam, an adult-oriented variety show of ten short acts by renowned puppeteers from New England and beyond.

Tickets for the show are on sale at a sliding scale, $10-$50 at www.circusschool.org.  Recommended audience age 13+. 

Festival Director Phoenix Leigh invites attendees to experience what’s possible when puppetry is presented with its full scope. “Prepare to be dazzled, to laugh, cry, ask, “How did they do that?” There are ways to be part of the puppetry as well as watch talented performers.”

NECCA’s Producing Director Serenity Smith Forchion adds that hosting this festival at NECCA makes sense.  “Phoenix works for NECCA in our administration team, and brought the idea to us. It made sense for us to host, as NECCA aims to support our artists community with the resources we have available. Our facility and lawns are perfect for a family day out!”

The event is presented with support from sponsors Latchis Arts and Latchis Hotel in downtown Brattleboro.

It’s a festival day that you won’t want to miss, organically grown right here in Brattleboro, Vermont. Come get your toast buttered with wonder! 

https://brattbeat.com/events/hot-jam-puppet-slam-1/

Artwork by Noah Ginex @artbynoahginex

Summer Camp offered Joyfulness for all

We laughed, sang, danced, clapped, clowned, painted, composed, acted, conversed, relaxed, and reflected.

One of our participants collaborated with Rich Nethercott on a song that says it best.

Nate and Robert sit side by side and make funny faces for the camera.

Tess's Song

Looking around, seeing everyone

Saying "hi" to all the others

Seeing friends and making new ones

A connection as we smile.

Nettie Lane guides Anthony and Elijah through an exercise in artful play as they wear red clown noses in their zoom windows.

The day is brimming with activities

We move from one to another

Music and laughter fills the air

And I feel understood and welcome.

Dee sits at his art table and holds up a small dolphin that he drew and cut out.

It's where all our voices can be heard

It's where we can feel at home.

Thank you all for making it a fun and safe place.

In-person campers gather around the monitor where they laugh and exchange with online campers.

It's where all our voices can be heard 

It's where we can feel at home.

Fills me up with belonging,

I look forward to each day

Being with friends, feeling noticed

Like I matter

Brian and Silvia hold hands and dance on stage.

Robert and Brady smile together as they play drums side by side during camp.

Feeling happy, feeling safe, feeling heard,

feeling at home.

Tess leads a warm up exercise

Harry Potter performs with a drum on stage

Paula, Kali and Noah do a clowning exercise on stage.

Relaxation and reflection were welcome activities,

Nettie, Tess, and Leslie smile in vibrant colored boas and costumes.

Dee draws and colors at an art making station.

Online and in-person students dance together in their zoom windows

Online and in-person students raise their hands up in a cheer at the end of class.

Melody Squire's Summer Scoop

Hi My Friends,

I hope you’re great and having a wonderful summer, despite all the rain that we’ve been having! I’ve had the privilege of observing Theatre Adventure’s last week of camp and I really enjoyed watching them.

This week, there was a visiting artist, Nettie Lane, leading an Artful Playful Immersive workshop. Nettie hopes to bring out each participant through Artful Play which can take the form of clowning, improv, theater games, circus arts, and much more.

Each student took a turn to go on stage and take a bow and introduce themselves and the students who are on Zoom, the window of Zoom is their stage. One particular student stands out in my mind. Brian has been with Theatre Adventure ever since Theatre Adventure first started and he’s been really shy, but this time, when he went up on the stage, Brian went up with so much confidence and head held high. Everyone was happy to see this and they all clapped with happiness!!

This summer, we have new people that have joined Theatre Adventure’s camp! I saw a sweet young girl that was sitting on the stage with her legs crossed. Kali had the biggest smile on her little face, she sat on the stage looking so happy.

Then, Tyler, known as Harry Potter, went up on the stage with a big drum and started drumming.

Nettie brought out red noses and everyone took a turn on the stage, wearing these red noses and having fun!! The students, on Zoom, were having a lot of fun wearing red noses. Elijah rolled his nose around in his hand for a while, then gave it back to his mom, very gently.

I sat in another morning of camp and it was very lively with music and dancing! People went up on stage again with their red noses and bowed. This is so cool as there were two clowns with red noses who entered the stage together. They were pretending not to see the other person and when they did see each other, they had lots of different reactions. Dee and Jazmin went up and did an awesome job and were so funny.

One of the neatest things that I have seen in a long time was when Anthony and Rachel did their act of meeting each other with their red noses on. Theirs were so moving and I saw Anthony had the biggest smile on his face at Rachel. She was acting goofy! Then, Rich and Elijah were a duo! Rich came out as a pirate and a clown in one!! This made Elijah smile from ear to ear and made noises with glee. Both Anthony and Elijah were heartwarming to watch!

They had a great dance party with Rich and Rachel! Rich sang songs that some of the students wrote and Rich sang them and Rachel’s movements. They had to mimic what Rachel was doing. They were having such a wonderful time dancing. Jenny and Rachel did a copy game where the first person did one thing and they had to copycat all down the line.

This was tricky to do with a large group, then they switched to drumming where one person was drumming up on the stage and people were dancing and then people would suddenly stop dancing in midstream. It was funny to see because one minute, they were dancing up a storm and having fun, and then everyone stopped abruptly. It was really cool to see! The last one was two drummers and some Troupe Members dancing.

I really enjoyed observing the last week of camp where Nettie did an amazing job of teaching about discovering the clowns that are within us. Everyone really enjoyed themselves so much and they were dancing up a storm!

I hope that you each have a wonderful summer! Thank you so much for your monthly support. We are grateful to know that you care about Theatre Adventure.

Melody Squires

Board Member, Marketing Person

Melody Squires Receives a Ewing Arts Award

Melody sits and smiles in bright red jacket and pants holding her engraved glass Ewing Award.

Theatre Adventure alum and board member Melody Squires is one of this year's Ewing Arts Awards Recipients!

Melody poses, grinning in front of three paintings sitting on easels at the award reception.

The Award Ceremony took place in Keene on Thursday, July 20th! A cohort of Theatre Adventure staff and board members were there to celebrate her accomplishment. Melody received a standing ovation when she went up to receive her reward.

Wendy, Darlene and Melody pose for a picture.

Theatre Adventure Staff and Board members gather around Melody’s table at the award ceremony.

Melody receives a card from her Theatre Adventure friends and colleagues.

Melody poses with the other Ewing Award recipients.

Melody Receives a Standing Ovation.

Melody’s Nomination

Ross and Melody painting at River Gallery School.

Melody became an actor with Theatre Adventure in 2016. She has been in eight performances.  Her favorite play so far has been Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night’s Dream. Melody played Nick Bottom. She loved playing this character because she loves to kid around and play tricks on people. In Melody’s words, “That’s right up my alley. I love playing jokes on everyone!” Melody is also a painter! Because of her Cerebral Palsy, she cannot use her arms easily so she uses a head-stick to paint. It’s like a helmet with a rod on which a paintbrush is attached.

View Melody’s Art

Melody's a member of the Harmony Arts Collective

Read more

With the help of a grant from the National Endowment of the Arts Melody was hired by Theatre Adventure to be a painting teacher during our summer camp in 2019.  She was also asked to be a Board Member in the Fall of 2019 when Theatre Adventure became its own non-profit organization. Melody’s paintings are expressive of her joie de vivre----Melody’s jokes and smiles bring vibrancy and laughter to all who are so fortunate to spend time with her. What a wonder that this same delightful energy is expressed in Melody’s paintings!

Melody Smiles in a pastel floral dress.

From Melody: I am Melody Squires from Guilford, Vermont! I am disabled due to having Cerebral Palsy with a bad speech problem. I am confined to a wheelchair all the time and I can’t use my hands at all, so I paint with my head. You probably think that I am crazy and that it’s very hard to do, but in reality, it’s rather easy. We attached a paintbrush to the rod of my head stick. My head stick is like a helmet with a rod coming out from it.

I was very fortunate enough to have art classes at The River Gallery every week and it was the very best thing I ever had done. I never thought that in a million years I would be an artist and that people are excited about my art, but they actually are!! My classes are one-on-one and my art teacher is Ross Smart (many of you might know him). Ross has taught me so much about art and I am really in awe that I am actually painting with oils which I absolutely love so much. Ross is more than my art teacher, he’s my best friend. 

Ross introduced me to oils, I was scared!! I haven’t worked with oils that much, only in sequencing and that wasn’t that much. I remembered that day when I first tried it, I didn’t want it to end! I was enjoying it too much. I think that oils are so much better than acrylics. Acrylics are running, but oils are pasty and easy to use. After I am finished with a painting, I make them into cards and they sell like hotcakes at the Harmony Collective. I am a member of the Collective.

Melody teaches a painting class in Theatre Adventure’s summer program.

Melody loves traveling to visit art museums with her Ross. Her favorite museum so far has been the Yale University Art Gallery. When Melody is home in Guilford she enjoys sitting on her porch enjoying the weather (especially when it’s hot), listening to music, and being on her I-pad. To learn more about Melody please see the article written about her for The Brattleboro Reformer (here).

Melody performs as the character Mariah with her cast mates in Theatre Adventure’s “Twelfth Night.”

“The Seeking Traveler and The Cloudworld" is a wrap!

A Seeking Traveler and the Cloudworld cast photo featuring in-person and online actors in costume.

The Wednesday Troupe gathered last week to celebrate everyone's hard work on our May production, The Seeking Traveler and the Cloudworld.  We are proud to have created such a beautiful show to present to our community.

During our cast party, the Mentors shared compliments with each individual actor.  

The compliments included: 

"You worked so hard to learn the movements of your character---you learned to use different levels."

"You expressed the energy of your character."

"You had a hard time at first facing the audience, but then you did face the audience."

"You responded to your Acting Buddy to help you be your character."

"It was fun to be your Acting Buddy."

"You worked so well with the other actor in your scene."

Atticus performs as a flying horse in his zoom window, wearing a feathery white costume.

The Audience sits in rapt attention at the West Village Meeting house as the Seeking Travelers and their allies take them on a journey.

The show was a beautiful weaving together of acting, movement, music, costumes, singing, expressing lines, projections of original art, soundscapes, sound effects, lighting, backdrops, integrating online and in-person actors, technology, and dancing.

Sher stands next to online actor Anthony who smiles in front of an ocean backdrop.

Alauna and Kali stand in white flowing costumes as the Whirling Winds.

The cast, both online and in-person, worked together with gentleness and an appreciation for the many different styles of self-expression that are within the Troupe. Individuals supporting specific actors helped us achieve feelings of togetherness while honoring the actors' individuality. Audience members witnessed and greatly enjoyed the passion our actors have as performing artists.

The Seeking Travelers meet online actors, Anthony and Elijah playing the Waterbirds.

It is vital to us in Theatre Adventure to provide opportunities for our actors and audience members to experience the following messages: Everyone is welcome. Everyone is valued.  Everyone has something important to contribute, on stage and in our communities.

The Theatre Adventure team---teachers, artists, mentors, technicians, costumer, and volunteers--- were the weavers of this extraordinary theater production.

How memorable. Thank you, everyone!

Bravo to all,

Laura LT, Darlene, Lori, Sher, Leslie, Laura H, and Maria

Teacher, Laura Howe carefully repaints the front of the black stage.

A view from behind the tech booth as the audience cheers on the actors who stand for a bow.

The Traveling Troupe visits Shaftsbury, VT.

The Theatre Adventure Traveling Troupe had a great time in Shaftsbury, Vermont. They shared their love of theater and their skills as storytellers—- all while being “cool as cucumbers” performing in front of 230 elementary school children.

"The troupe handled this very large group of students with incredible ease, and grace, capturing their interest and creating an interactive experience that lasted throughout the performance.  It brings me to tears to think about it. I was so touched by it.  Listening to and watching the room of over 200 k-6th graders interacting with these 5 actors in a joyous and attentive way was priceless.  Your and our host's parts in the introduction were an important piece of that connection yet it didn’t feel like you were teaching these young students tolerance and inclusiveness, it was more that you were allowing them to experience it.  That was truly the beauty of it all."

~Elisabeth  (Troupe Member's family member)

Welcoming Two New Board Members

We are thrilled to announce that Theatre Adventure has two new Members of the Board.

 

Wendy Pauloo

Wendy spent most of her childhood as a member of a traveling troupe of young actors in South Orange NJ.  Steeped in the teachings of Viola Spolin, a proponent of Creative Drama, she brought those passions to Northern NH and taught Creative Drama to children for over 30 years.  Upon moving to Easthampton Ma, she became the Assistant Production Manager at Pioneer Valley Performing Arts Charter School, where the youngest of her 4 children was a student actor.  

While still in NH she earned a BS in Human Services and worked with children and families in distress, formed a foster care program for high-risk children, and was a Support Services Coordinator and Domestic Violence Advocate at a Domestic Violence shelter for women and children.

Moving to Guilford Vermont she spent the next 8 years caring for her husband, Dan, who was suffering from Lewy Body Dementia. During that time she met Melody Squires and through that friendship heard about Theatre Adventure.

She joined the Board of Directors towards the end of 2022 after seeing a few of the productions and being moved and amazed at the extraordinary skill. love, and passion of the actors and teachers.  She is honored to be part of this life-changing theatre.

 

Ora Grodsky

Ora has consulted with organizations that work for social change for over 25 years. She’s a skillful facilitator, trainer and guide with a creative, empathetic approach, engaging groups to increase their alignment, optimism, and sense of direction. She co-founded Just Works Consulting in 2000.

Ora grounds her work in her deep commitment to racial, social, environmental and economic justice, and inner attention and healing.  

Ora is married to Jonathan Rosenthal. They live near Boston, Massachusetts (USA) and are the parents of two amazing adult daughters and the caretakers of one feisty cat. She is the author of several white papers and a forthcoming book on transformational organizational consulting. 

Brattleboro Food Co-ops Round Up for Change

Theatre Adventure is featured in this month’s Round Up for Change at the Brattleboro Food Co-op!

Through March, you can turn your extra nickels and dimes into inclusive arts programming!

Brattleboro Food Co-op’s Round Up For Change program aims to raise funds for initiatives in Windham County. It’s easy to participate. At check-out, their cashiers will ask you if you would like to “round up” your purchase total to the nearest dollar allowing you to conveniently support a community contribution to the two organizations they feature each month. March will feature Vermont Jazz Center and Theatre Adventure.