What is The Newington Children’s Theatre Company and the Touring Company Program?
NCTC is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, educational organization, entering its 46th consecutive season, providing instructional and performance opportunities for students. Our Touring Company Program (staffed entirely by experienced adult volunteers) is the hallmark program of The Newington Children's Theatre Company. It is unique within the State of Connecticut in that it is the only program of its kind in which students make a long-term commitment to a production. Unlike school and other community-based children's theatre programs in which rehearsals usually lead to a single weekend of performances, the NCTC Touring Company program gives students an opportunity to "live with a character" over an extended period of time and to perform their parts more often than in other programs. It involves students aged 10-18 in a 7-month program that involves instruction in various aspects of musical theatre.
Semi-weekly rehearsals for the annual musical production run for about four months (October through January). Integrated into these rehearsals is instruction relating to acting, voice, music, dance, improvisation, and other theatre arts, all the while bonding the cast as a team.
The show opens in our own Black Box Theatre the last weekend of January and then we take the show "on the road." We perform at venues throughout Connecticut on weekends from February through April (usually Friday nights or Saturdays; sometimes Sundays), doing a total of about 15-20 performances during the season. Although there may be times when two shows are done in a single weekend, we attempt to schedule only one show in a weekend. Under the supervision of adult volunteers, the students arrive at the venue to find that our "advance team" has installed our set. They then familiarize themselves with the performance area, get into make-up and costumes, and perform the show, often for packed houses in various schools and community centers.
What do participants in the Touring Company get during the season?
A seven-month-long (October – April) program of training and performance
Instruction in all aspects of musical theatre (voice, acting, dance --- the “triple threat”)
An opportunity to develop self-confidence, self-esteem, comfort with public performance, teamwork,
and leadership skills in a supportive environment with other students sharing similar interests in theatre
Custom-tailored costumes
Personal make-up kit
An opportunity to travel around Connecticut and meet a wide variety of student audiences
Bus transportation to most performance venues (except some sites very close to Newington)
Special workshops on occasions during the rehearsal and touring seasons
What is the commitment for students in the Touring Company?
Rehearsals on Thursday evenings (6:00-8:30) and Sunday afternoons (1:00-5:00); these times include
the mandatory warm-ups that precede the rehearsals themselves (October through January)
During the touring season (February through April), performers will be expected to be available for Friday
evening, Saturday, and occasional Sunday afternoon shows.
Students are expected to be on time for all rehearsals and performance calls and to participate fully (should
a student not be needed for scenes during a particular rehearsal, they will be notified in advance)
What costs are associated with the NCTC Touring Company?
Participation fee for the seven-month program: $595
($200 upon acceptance of role; balance: $200 on November 1 and $195 December 1)
Additional costs (actual costs to be determined, may be less than indicated below):
o Required: Dance shoes as necessary depending upon student’s part in show o Optional: Show Tee Shirt: approximately $16 NCTC Jacket: approximately $55
How does a student get involved in the Touring Company program?
Admission to the program is by audition.
Auditions are held in September of each year.
Students selected for the program each year are notified by mail within two weeks of the audition dates.
Audition dates and times are posted on this website, other online resources, as well as in local newspapers.
Although walk-in auditions are welcome during the posted times, students are encouraged to call in advance
to reserve an audition date and time.
Audition preparation information is available on this website.