July 11, 2022
Courtesy of/Philly Children's Theatre
During the weekends of July 23 and July 30, Philly Children's Theatre is traveling to three locations across the city to provide free family-friendly performances of their inaugural play, "Without Wings," to local kids and their families. The group hopes to expand access to the arts for kids in Philadelphia.
During the last two weekends of July, Philly Children's Theatre is traveling to neighborhoods across the city to provide free family-friendly performances of their inaugural play, "Without Wings," for kids and their families.
Philly Children's Theatre was created by Sarah Gordin, a Philadelphia-based dance teaching artist, with hopes of providing free, live theatre to children across the city.
"I spent the past year as an AmeriCorps ArtistYear fellow in the Philadelphia Public Schools teaching theatre and dance," Gordin said. "I noticed that many of the children that I was teaching had never seen a theatre performance before. Philly Children's Theatre exists to introduce children in Philly to theatre and all that it can be by bringing the arts to their neighborhoods."
The play was created by New York native playwright Ilana Zahava Abusch, and is a coming-of-age tale about a new tooth fairy trying to live up to the pressures of her important job.
"This show is special because it is not just a play for children, but a story that the adults will also resonate with," Gordin said. "I am thrilled that we received enough funding to have ASL interpretation at our performances at The Farm at Awbury, which adds another layer of access to the show."
Performances take place on Saturday, July 23 and 30, at 10 a.m. at the Wyck House and 2 p.m. at Hawthorne Park. There will also be performances on Sunday, July 24 and 31, at 2 p.m. at The Farm at Awbury Arboretum. The Farm at Awbury Arboretum shows will have ASL interpretation.
"We want to reach young people to experience art in a different way in their own neighborhoods, and having performances in three different locations will hopefully be a really great opportunity for everyone to see the access to arts that they deserve," Assistant Artistic Director Erin Gaydos, a Philadelphia-based teaching artist and director, said.
"Without Wings" runs for about an hour, and a Q&A with the actors will follow each performance. The play is geared toward children ages 3 to 12 and their families.
The performances are free to attend and no registration is required. It's recommended that attendees bring blankets or chairs to sit on while enjoying the show.
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