Learn with Play!
The Imaginary Theatre Company (ITC) is the resident, professional, touring ensemble of The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis. Through the use of literature, folk tales, fairy tales and new adaptations of classic works, ITC is committed to providing the very finest in theatre for young audiences and strives to bring quality performances to schools and community venues throughout the bi-state area.
2010–2011 Season
Welcome to ITC's 34th season! Invite us to come play with you, and let our literature-based productions introduce your kids to a whole new way to learn.
 | Chanticleer! Book, Music and Lyrics by Brian Hohlfeld |
Recommended for grades K–3 (ages 5–8)
50 minutes
Available for touring: October 18, 2010–April 2, 2011
Public performances: March 19
Curriculum Connections
- Themes of pride and humility
- New versions of classic works
- Domestic and wild animals
The vain and cocky rooster Chanticleer has it all: a barn full of hen friends and a great job waking up the sun each morning. But peaceful life on the farm is in for a change when a sly and flattering fox sends Chanticleer’s world into a tumble. Can he escape the fox’s deceptions and his own bruised ego in time to save his friends from the dinner table? This adaptation of one of Geoffrey Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales combines the spirit of the original folk tale with a fresh, musical mischief that is laugh-out-loud fun.
 | The Nutcracker by Sarah Brandt based on the story by E.T.A. Hoffman Original Music and Lyrics by Neal Richardson |
Recommended for all grades and family audiences
50 minutes
Available for touring: November 8–December 31, 2010
Public performances: December 18, 20 and 21, 2010
Curriculum Connections
- Holiday Traditions
- Stories in different artistic media
- The importance of friendship
Marie is a little lonely after her family moves to a new town, but when her Godfather arrives with some mysterious Christmas Eve packages, she finds magic in very unlikely places. One of Godfather’s gifts is a wooden nutcracker who appears to be nothing more than an ugly toy, but Marie soon discovers that this is no ordinary doll. The Nutcracker leads Marie on a magical adventure full of evil mice, dancing fairies and distant lands, showing her along the way that friends may not be so hard to find and that the magic of Christmas can last the whole year through.
 | Trail of Tears by Kathryn Schultz Miller performed at the  |
Recommended for grades 4–6 (ages 9–11)
50 minutes
Available for touring: January 18–April 2, 2011
Public performances: March 25 – April 3, 2011
Curriculum Connections
- American history
- Native American culture
- Theatricality and drama
Celebrated playwright Kathryn Schultz Miller once again brings history to life in this gripping drama. View 1800s America through the eyes of youthful and determined Chosen One as his people are forced to abandon their homeland in the Smokey Mountains. With his wife, Snow Owl, and his father, Walking Bear, he fights valiantly to save his people, but is overcome time and again by the attractive empty promises of the new settlers. This dramatic tale of one man’s heartbreaking struggle to hold on to his Cherokee heritage is a fresh look at a painful chapter in American history.
Additional Services
Free Study Guides: Each play comes with its own multi-disciplinary study guide. ITC study guides are designed to give teachers direction and concepts for pre-performance and post-performance discussion of the production, and include activities supporting Missouri Knowledge Standards and Illinois Learning Standards. Guides are e-mailed to you at least two weeks prior to the scheduled performance, and are also available for download online.
Free Question and Answer Sessions (Q & A): Q & A's are held immediately after a performance and can be up to 15 minutes in length. Q & A's provide your students with an opportunity to meet the actors, discuss what has just been performed, and to ask questions about life as a professional in the arts.
Workshops: These workshops, presented by ITC's professional cast, are offered as an enhancement to your students' theatre experience and a supplement to your curricular program. Using theatre exercises, your students will explore the discipline and skills used by actors to create characters and communicate meaning. While exercising their "muscles" of imagination, concentration and teamwork, your students will learn to trust their own creative being, expand their emotional freedom and explore the joy of taking risks. The specific activities used in these workshops are chosen based upon the participants' grade level.
- Acting Up
Length: 30–60 minutes
Space Requirement: classroom, stage or open space
Group Size: 6 to 70
See below for fees and booking information.
Booking Information
Touring (Same Day Bookings):
One performance starts at $350.00.
Two services start at $630.00.
Three services start at $975.00.
Study guides are included in your cost and will be e-mailed to you prior to the first scheduled performance. An additional educational component at no extra cost is an optional 15-minute Q&A with the actors immediately following each performance.
- A service is defined as a performance or a workshop.
- Fees vary. Actual cost is determined by distance to be traveled, if an overnight stay is required, the total number of days involved, and the various combinations of performances and workshops.
- No workshop can be scheduled without a performance.
- A three-performance day must be of the same play.
- Services can be delivered in no more than two locations on any scheduled workday.
For statewide touring dates, the Missouri Arts Council (MAC) will grant awards to Missouri-based presenters outside the St. Louis metro area. Grant requests must be submitted to MAC at least two months prior to the contracted performance date(s).
For touring dates outside of Missouri, financial awards may be available through your state arts council. Please ask for more information when booking your date(s).
Contact ITC
For more information or to book the Imaginary Theatre Company, call (collect) (314) 968-7344 or e-mail .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
Thank You
The Rep's Imaginary Theatre Company is grateful for the generous support of the Employee Community Fund of Boeing St. Louis for underwriting free performances in the St. Louis city and county schools; of Energizer, which provides batteries for the acting company's body mics; and of Belden CDT Inc, for general support. Thank you.
