ENCORE STAGE & STUDIO, INC.

Founded in 1967, Encore Stage & Studio's mission is to build life-long appreciation for live theater by involving young people in all aspects of theater arts --onstage, backstage, in the classroom, and in the audience. Encore achieves this through two primary venues: high quality, developmentally appropriate theatrical productions that are by and for young people, and enriching, curriculum-enhancing educational classes and workshops. We believe that participating in live theatre builds problem-solving skills, teamwork, creativity, literacy, and self-confidence. Our goal is to cultivate the next generation of active and engaged leaders and art lovers.

 

Encore provides students with an opportunity to participate in theatrical productions outside of school with a diverse group of students from across our region at no charge. Throughout our 45 year history, we have staged 177 fully-realized productions. We are unique in offering participation in dramatic productions in which every actor and every behind –the-scenes technician is a young person aged 9 – 18.

 

Our participants receive more than simply the opportunity to work on a production; we are instilling and refining important traits that equip our participants to be successful adults. Our opportunities for young people develop leadership, teamwork and self-confidence, build and reinforce artistic, technical and general problem-solving skills, increase creativity, literacy and artistic expression, and promote community. Encore’s multi-age/multi-grade-level structure encourages mentoring and role modeling between older and younger participants not available in most schools. While some of our participants choose to pursue careers in the arts and arts management, the majority apply these essential life skills to other professions. In this way, we are building tomorrow’s model citizens and leaders.

 

Recent accomplishments include receiving a non-profit capacity building grant from Arlington Economic Development this fall, signifying Arlington County’s investment in growing and strengthening our organization. Additionally, we were honored to have been selected as a featured non-profit in the 2010-2011 Catalogue for Philanthropy: Greater Washington. Encore was also the recipient of the 2007 Elizabeth Campbell Award for Outstanding Community Arts Organization from the Arlington branch of the American Association of University Women.

For over 50 years, Encore Stage & Studio has given hundreds of thousands of young people the opportunity to grow and discover themselves through theatre: onstage, backstage, in the classroom, and in the audience. Our artistic excellence as we bring our theatrical productions to children and families in the community and our commitment to expanding the canon of children’s theatre with new works set us apart from others. 

In the past several years, we have expanded our work in the City of Alexandria. Earlier this school year, we commissioned an original play in Spanish and English for a residency at an ACPS elementary school. 

In the 2025-26 school year, we plan to bring two original plays, including a new piece, for over 500 pre-K and Kindergarten students at four public elementary schools. The plays will be dual-language (Spanish and English). One will be a brand-new play premiering for the children in Alexandria!

This partnership with ACPS will bring theatre, and notably a new work, directly to young children in schools across the City. Productions are designed to fully engage children’s senses and imaginations.  Held during assemblies in the school day, each play will run approximately 25 minutes and will be accompanied by a question and answer session with the cast.

We hold summer camp and school holiday camps in the City and offer scholarships for these programs. Our theatre education programs focus on the process of learning with the arts in safe, nurturing, and dynamic environments. We reach into the community with classes for preschool and elementary-aged children in community centers and most recently, affordable housing buildings. Teaching artists use dance and creative movement with music, theatre games, stories, and activities as they engage with the children. 

Alexandria students are also among the cast and crew members in our award-winning mainstage productions. In order to reach more young people, there is no fee to participate and we depend on the support of our communities.  Alexandria families are in the audiences of our popular shows. 

Please support this acclaimed anchor of the arts community in Northern Virginia as we expand our work in the City of Alexandria. All children deserve to experience the life-changing power of the arts. 

Thank you!