Who We Are & What We Do

We make theatre FOR children BY children WITH children since 2011. Member of Community Foundation and our fiscal partner, United Neighbors of Fitchburg. Contributions to support our workshops and programs may be made out to: "UNF" with "RCTheatre" in the memo line and mailed to: 18 Fairmount St., Fitchburg, MA 01420

Monday, December 22, 2014

Hi friends and families…

I am hoping the Fitchburg Cultural Council grant comes through as that makes it possible to continue to offer free (FREE!!) classes at the Library!! Fingers crossed…

Here are dates I am mapping out for 2015…

AGE 10 and UP:
Friday Night Fun!!
January 16, 23, 30, February 6 and 13
SHOW at Fitchburg Library on VALENTINE'S DAY, 1 pm
Call time will be 11:30 to get in a FULL rehearsal onstage and "construct" our set (wait til you see what I have planned -- ALL fabric…)

Theme: Shakespeare + Improv + Love = ???

Friday nights at UU Church. They ARE charging $25 a night rent, which is very reasonable, so this will add up to about $125 to hold this class there. Contributions really help support this program.

AGE 4 to 9
TUESDAYS,
4-6: 4-4:30
7-9: 4:30-5:15
February: 24, March 3, 10, 17, 24 and 31 with the SHOW at 6:30, Thursday, April 2 (which is Maundy Thursday -- please let me know if that is a problem).


OTHER RCT OPPORTUNITIES!!

I mentioned that the age 10 and up group can work on a radio PSA (public service announcement) about ANY topic they choose. The plan would be to tape these in a ONE day marathon at WPKZ with Tyler during February vacation week. We'll talk about themes and this is a project students can work on at home and bring in to radio station. YES, this is professional opportunity and one to add to your performing resume!

Dress Rehearsal for RESPECT at Stratton Players. Director Steve D'Ambrosio has kindly offered the opportunity for RCT kids to attend the final dress rehearsal on Sunday, March 8, probably early afternoon. This is a musical journey about women with a lot of great music. We can go backstage and talk to actors. More on this later. See Strattonplayers.com for more…

Call me if you have ?s
PLEASE let me know if your child will be attending. I will have a signup sheet at the Library before February vacation week, to open this up for the public but I would like to give priority to returning actors. Thanks

Monday, May 26, 2014

Dear Friends and Students of RCT
I know that many of you heard the sad news about my mom, Janet Cragin who passed away peacefully after a short illness on April 24. We are so sad and sorry but please know that Riverfront Children's Theatre will ("of course" in my mom's phraseology) carry on. Classes will begin again the last week of September. In the interim, we are doing a program at Green Acres on Normandy Road this week and next and we will be doing Parks presentations this summer. These will be free workshops and we'll have costumes and props and much fun.

We are having a special event on Friday, June 20 -- a benefit for our newly-created scholarship fund. As you know, my mom was not someone to toot her own horn, but in the last week I shared with Janet, I told her that we needed to start a scholarship for students and helpers. And so the Janet Cragin Family Scholarship is holding a fund-raiser that is also a theater workshop. For kids AND their parents (if they would like to participate). Generally, our classes are "kids only" but we've had some wonderful parents and family members who've jumped in, so we wanted to extend the offer.

If you would like to come, please email me at sallycragin@verizon.net or call at 978-320-1335. The suggested donation is $5 per family and the schedule is as follows: Friday, June 20, 4 to 5 pm, age 4 to 7. From 5:30 to 7:30 pm, age 10 and up. And YES our super assistant Russell Holbert will be present!

You can also support our scholarship by sending a check made out to Riverfront Children's Theatre to:
Community Foundation
649 John Fitch Highway
Fitchburg, MA 01420

Here's a picture of my mom last summer at Green Acres which sums up SO much of what RCT is about -- fun costumes in bins, my mom encouraging, and a VERY happy little girl being an excellent Miss Muffet running away from a spider!

Saturday, January 18, 2014

YES!! Classes start this winter!

Calling young performers! Riverfront Children's Theatre at 454 Main Street,
Fitchburg announces spring classes for kids age 4 through teens that will conclude with a public performance of an original music-theatre production: “Around The World to Fitchburg – Happy 250th.”

This year, we wanted to create a special production for Fitchburg's 250th anniversary,” explains instructor Janet Cragin, who appeared in Fitchburg's 1964 Bicentennial pageant as 'The Muse of Fitchburg.' All children will have the opportunity to be in the play, which will be presented on Saturday, April 12 at Fitchburg Library at 1 pm.
Riverfront Children's Theatre classes include Showtime for age 4 to 6 (4-4:30, $50 ) and 7 to 9 (4:30-5:15, $60). Classes meet on Tuesdays, January 28 through April 8. Showtime classes offer movement and dance steps, songs, and improvisation, plus new features such as scene painting, and costume creation.

"This season, we are offering a new improv workshop for kids age 10 through teens," Cragin explains. “Fun Friday meets on first and third Fridays from 6 to 8 pm, (February 7, 21, March 7, 21, April 4, 18). We'll explore scene study, paint sets, work with costumes and makeup under stage lights and create crazy characters. We offered the two-hour workshop in the fall, and it was a big hit, as kids are able to explore theatrecraft in detail."

To register, email sallycragin@verizon.net, or call 978-320-1335 for a form. Visit riverfrontkids.blogspot.com for more information. Riverfront Children's Theatre is a 501 (c)3 organization, and a member of the North Central Mass. Community Foundation. We are supported in part by Fitchburg Cultural Council.