Dallas Children's Theater Blog

Astonishing Kids And Families With The Fun of Broadway-Like Plays and A Lot More!

Monthly Archives: October 2012

Literacy Takes Center Stage at DCT

Like Former First Lady Barbara Bush, we at Dallas Children’s Theater (DCT) have a passion for literacy. After all, our mission is to bring books from the page to the stage! We are proud of the very unique partnership that exists between DCT and the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy. Each year, school children receive a chance to participate in an essay contest inspired by a DCT show. This year’s school was J. Erik Jonsson Community School; and the show…Pinkalicious The Musical. Here’s how it worked:

Students in grades 3, 4 and 5 read the book Pinkalicious and were challenged with a question from Mrs. Bush: “Before Pinkalicious turned pink from eating too many pink cupcakes, she never thought there would be consequences for too much of a good thing. Think about a time when you did not make mindful choices. What did you do? What consequences did you face? Write a short story about the experience.”

After submitting their stories, the students then came to DCT to see the show and experience first hand how DCT brings literature to life. For some of these students, it was the first time they’ve ever seen a play. Their excitement is palpable! And when they’ve studied the book in advance, they’re even more elated to see the characters they know walking and talking right before their eyes. 

Best of all, we know this experience is a catalyst for opening up their own creativity. When we see children take the leap from the classroom, to a theatrical event, to believing in the creative power of their own mind, we are proud to have had such an important role in their discovering that education leads to imagination and it is FUN! That’s a lesson they’ll never forget. Books and theater are indeed powerful tools for showing young people how they can achieve better lives.

After the show, Barbara Bush’s grandson, George P. Bush and his wife Amanda, came up to the stage to announce the winners chosen by Mrs. Bush and present them with the Barbara Bush Magic of Reading Award. All in all, it was a great celebration of reading, writing, live theater and accomplishment!

Mrs. Bush said, “I love reading all the wonderful essays that the children submit!” We can see why. Take a minute of your day to read these smart and delightfully funny winning entries, complete with adorable illustrations!

  • 3rd Grade – Leo Ontiveros and his lesson to Listen to Your Mom
  • 4th Grade – Thomas Orta and his story My Goofy Hair Do
  • 5th Grade – Priscilla Cabrera and her account of The Time I Fainted

A Joyous Beginning with Delicious Cupcakes & More

Bon Voyage! We’re off! It’s a new season at DCT and the journey has begun. Pinkalicious The Musical, the most pinkadelic show ever, is sure producing a lot of happiness around here. And it’s contagious!

You can’t step inside the Rosewood Center right now without feeling your heart leap with joy. A canopy with flowers, hearts, pink puffs, lace, stars, ribbons and sparkle shower you from above, thanks to the hard work of board member Karen Travis and intern Maliska Haba.

The walls are overflowing with beautiful designs of bird, bee and butterfly costume designs submitted by children in grades K-12 for our costume design contest.

Flat Stanley and Pinkalicious stand ready for your photo op in the lobby.

And you can buy Sprinkles cupcakes at intermission – so much yum. Pure happiness, I tell you!

Actress Emily Lockhart as Pinkalicious has been hard at work bringing happiness to our audiences, but also to others in the community. She visited with first graders and their teacher, Mr. Painter, at Stonewall Gardens and presented them with the “Pinkalicious Green Team Award” for growing their own vegetables. Blue Bear from Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Texas helped, too.

She taught them a song from the show which they sang while strolling by the okra vines, “I’m gonna be brave and learn to eat my gree-ee-ee-eenes!”

Dallas City Councilmember Sheffie Kadane came too and praised the children, “When I was growing up, I didn’t have a garden at my school. You are so smart for learning how to grow food. I am proud of each and every one of you.”

Then Ms. Lockhart visited our neighbors at the Vickery Meadow Community Garden to spread more joy. How adorable is this picture – look at the girl’s t-shirt, which says, “I’d trade my brother for a cupcake”. And that’s her little brother pulling on Pinkalicious’ wand!

But don’t fret if Pinkalicious sells out before you get tickets (now extended until October 28th) – you can still participate in the fun. You can download free activity pages at https://www.dct.org/plays/funtodo.

Season subscribers – don’t forget to pick up your Passport to Imagination Workbook in the DCT Store so your kids can record their memories, play games and earn stamps and prizes. Single ticket buyers can also get in on the fun and buy it for $10.

Meanwhile, don’t just listen to us tell you how pinkeriffic it is here right now, listen to what the patrons have to say. DCT’s AnchorKids keep up with our most important visitors (your kids!) in the most delightful ‘hard-hitting investigative reporting’ you ever saw.

Think pink, friends. It’s happiness.