Once Upon A Playhouse
Real Plays for Real Kids
“The Playhouse was an extremely impactful experience for me, as a young person needing a creative space to explore, discover and perform. Each year that I participated was special, with a new play written by our intrepid director and teacher, Martha. It was a joy to be a part of a collective process where we were truly seen and appreciated, our uniqueness respected and written into the script. Martha had a way of noticing our strengths and each year's productions reflected all the spunk and sass of the youth that participated. The writing was accessible, creative and fun - each year was memorable for me and my family.”
​
Shelby Handler, writer, poet, teaching artist, Seattle, Washington
​
“Even though I was playing a character, these plays helped me to be more of myself. It also made me get interested in cool things that the plays talked about and made me think about things and take an interest in stuff I hadn’t heard of before.”
​
Malia Foster, Denver School of Science and Technology, Denver
“I remember that Martha got to know us, and really listened. There was never any pressure, just fun, and I remember that the audience enjoyed it and laughed really hard. I wish I had known about it sooner, I would have participated all through grade school.”
​
Jarod Todeschi, Willamette University
“There were always people in the audience (myself included) that didn’t even have kids in the show (unheard of!) and actually came each year to see what Martha would come up with next. At one point, she confided in me that perhaps she had reached the kids she needed to reach, and that was enough. But I said “You HAVE to share these. They’re too entertaining not to.”
​
Hannah Picasso, violin and music teacher, Leman Manhattan Preparatory School
​