Theater Arts

Elementary school students at New Lebanon, Julian Curtiss and International School at Dundee benefit from various multi-grade theater experiences to introduce and engage them in the performing arts. A dedicated and growing group of teachers champion the theater arts where it gets woven into the culture at each school.

We have invested $237,000 in theater arts enrichment to help students make creative decisions, cultivate a positive sense of self and explore new ideas to develop their own voices. New Lebanon School – 2026 Blue Ribbon School – attributes their success to strong leadership, the staff’s highly focused student support, and extensive arts programming.

Declamation Contest

Students gain public speaking skills by reciting and acting out a memorized speech or poem to an audience of their peers.

A quote from a parent highlights the value of this experience:

“My child is very shy. She told us the Declamation Contest was an opportunity for her to overcome some of her fears, surrounded by trusted friends and teachers. And she rocked it! We are so proud of her but, more importantly, she is proud of herself.”

Image: Declamation at New Lebanon School

Musicals

Musicals are the culminating elementary theater experience for 4 and 5th graders. Having been part of the school audience since pre-school, students have looked forward to being an actor or part of the stage crew for many years. Finding Nemo Kids, Aladdin, Lion King Kids, Winnie the Pooh, and Willy Wonka are examples of the shows performed. Pulling off these productions involves many teachers, parents and enthusiastic students all joining together to make it a great success.

Image: The Lion King Kids at Julian Curtiss School

Live Theater

A chance to experience live theater brings characters to life which is not possible when only reading aloud. Students visit local venues like the Ridgefield Playhouse, Purchase College, Tarrytown Music Hall which all stage plays catered to elementary students. In addition, in-school performance troupes delight students with close up action and audience engagement.