Town Hall Kids
76 Main Street South N0E1Y0 Waterford, ON, Canada

Welcome to season 16! Thank you THK families for communicating your needs, comfort levels, and questions/ concerns around this upcoming season. We have prepared a schedule that we think is flexible enough to accommodate as broad a spectrum of needs and concerns as possible. It will take a while to get every child looped in not everyone gets to start tonight so please be patient. If you have any questions, or haven’t communicated your final decision (and subsequently not received/ been added to schedule yet), we ask that you email [email protected] as soon as possible! We’re more than excited to begin seeing your THKids’ smiling faces again this month!

Check your inboxes THK famjams! At long last, we have a plan for Season 16, beginning after Thanksgiving. (NUTSHELL HERE: We don’t want to halt THK programming. We also know we can’t possibly please everyone, but we’re trying to find a way to move forward as creatively and safely as possible because your kids are pretty awesome and we love ‘em! We came up with what we think is the best possible solution.) Didn’t receive the newsletter? Email [email protected] to get on our mailing list.

Hi THK famjam! Just checking in to say we will have news for you soon regarding Shrek and future programming, and also admitting that it’s hard not being able to come to concrete decisions quickly. Sending you love, wisdom, health, and good vibes as you navigate your way through the summer/fall season with your kids, during this unprecedented time. Can’t wait till we can hug, and SING TOGETHER again!

THK- Where Are They Now? Meet Justin DuBois, a Town Hall Kid from 2006 to 2010. In his own words: What are some of your most memorable Town Hall Kids moments? ... Having local schools come and see THK productions was always a highlight for me. To share with my peers something I was passionate about was a new and joyful experience. What impact has theatre had on your life? I attribute my ability to collaborate with others to theatre. The give and take of working with others is important in theatre, and I've been able to apply it to other aspects of my life. Tell us about you, now! Since THK, I've graduated Humber College's Theatre Performace program, and found myself on a handful of TV and commercial sets in the GTA. I've started writing and performing my own work for the stage, and despite COVID-19, I've continued to work with others to try and bring theatre into the digital space. Do you have any advice for your young self or new THKids? Find joy in knowing that the people around you at THK are doing what they are doing out of passion. They want you to shine. Do everything you can to help them shine too. Justin, a big thanks to (young) you and your mom Lori for being a huge part of the impetus to start THK! It’s almost like she KNEW this is where life would lead you. Your family was such a huge part of our beginnings that without you, THK wouldn’t even exist! Congratulations on all you’re accomplishing. You’ve made us very proud!

THK- Where Are They Now? Meet Jessica Dinner, a Town Hall Kid from 2007 to 2010. In her own words: What are some of your most memorable Town Hall Kids moments? ... There are too many memorable moments to choose from! My castmates were wonderful - we had so much fun together. I loved the positive and creative energy at Town Hall Kids. A few memorable moments that stand out in my mind: playing Paisley Lemondrop in A Tale of Two Fairies, performing when the local schools came to watch, and playing Bus Stop (my favourite game). What impact has theatre had on your life? I built confidence and developed great public speaking skills. I also learned to think creatively, which helps me to effectively solve problems and complete tasks. Tell us about you, now! I just graduated from Lakehead University's Honours Bachelor of Social Work program, and I'm currently working toward my Master of Education (Student Affairs) at Wilfrid Laurier University. I work for the YMCA of Simcoe/Muskoka in Youth and Immigrant Services. I'm very passionate about diversity, equity, inclusion, and post-secondary student supports! Do you have any advice you wish you could give your young self, or new THKids? Enjoy every minute of your THK experience! The friendships you build and the skills you develop will stay with you for years to come. Thanks, Jessica! It’s so inspiring to hear your positive memories, and to see the path you’ve taken to deliberately make the world a better place. Wow! We are cheering for you and your bright future!

Town Hall Kids: Where Are They Now? Meet Seth Winward, a THKid from its inaugural year, 2006, to 2010. He continued to volunteer beyond those years, helping out with sound, lighting, and other technical aspects of productions when his younger brother Eli joined the company. In his own words:...Continue reading

Can you tell me how to get, How to get to Sesame Street?

Hey THK kids! Your mentee team has a special message for all of you!

Town Hall Kids: Where Are They Now? Meet Kelsey Stanczyk, a THKid from our very first seasons, 2006 and 2007, and a returning instructing artist/ summer student. In her own words:... What are some of your most memorable Town Hall Kids moments? Some of my most memorable moments were my solo in the inaugural season and all of the amazing costumes in Once Upon A Circus. It was such a great play because everyone had their moment to shine. It was truly a show with no small parts. I also still remember some of the lyrics from my role as a Singing Sensation - singing to you, bringing to you, marvellous melodies, heavenly harmonies, unlike anything you’ve ever hearrrrd What impact has theatre had on your life? Theatre has had a huge role in my life. Not only is it an amazing creative outlet, but it also helped me develop soft skills that have really helped me in my personal and professional life. Skills like listening, public speaking, committing to a project, and working as a team have helped me achieve greater success at school, at work, and in my relationships. Tell us about you, now! I am now living just south of Muskoka with my wonderful fiancé and many many pets! I work in communications in the hospitality industry and sit on the Board of Directors for a local theatre company. I just finished performing in Mamma Mia! in February! Do you have any advice for your young self or new THKids? My advice to the Town Hall Kids of today is to stay involved in theatre for as long as you can in whatever way you can. Even if you find that the stage isn’t your favourite place to be, people in the crew and production teams are just as important. When I moved to a new place three hours away from all of my family and friends, I immediately found a new group of amazing, talented, welcoming people in the local theatre community. Theatre people will always welcome you with open arms no matter what age you are! Also, don’t feel that you have to make Theatre your job for it to still be a part of your life. Sometimes the things we love to do the most are the most enjoyable when we do them be simply because we love them and not because of a paycheque or obligation. Thanks, Kelsey! It’s so neat how you continue to find theatre family wherever you go. You’re an inspiration to our new THK generation

Hello everyone, happy Monday! Here are this week’s activities. The improv challenge is to act as a king, queen or ruler of a kingdom and tell us what goes on in your kingdom! ... OR if you’d prefer you can preform the Alice in Wonderland or the Willy Wonka monologues attached! OR you can do both! Make sure to post publicly (if you’re comfortable with that and TAG Town Hall Kids Page to share your creations with us. . those without social media will be sending their videos in via email. Have a great week!

Hello everyone, happy Monday! Here are this week’s activities. The improv challenge is to do an impression of any character from a book, show, movie, musical and more! Then we will try to guess who it is! ... OR if you’d prefer you can fill out this drama vocabulary sheet and colour this empty stage and fill it with your favourite characters! OR you can do both! Make sure to post publicly (if you’re comfortable with that and TAG Town Hall Kids Page to share your creations with us. . those without social media will be sending their videos in via email. Have a great week!

LOVE THIS, Kayden!!