Why Do Children Need Theatre? 

If you’ve had the opportunity to stop by the Arvada Center on a weekday in February or April, you’ve undoubtedly noticed the hundreds of kids lining up in eager anticipation outside of our theatres, waiting for a performance. It’s even better to catch them when they’re leaving, and the building is full of joy and excitement as kids recount the magic of what they saw on stage. 

This upcoming spring, our Theatre for Young Audiences production of Lyle the Crocodile will welcome almost 1,000 K-5 kids a day into the Arvada Center. Most of these young people were visiting the Center with a school field trip, or sometimes with their families and friends. Many of them were there to experience theatre for the very first time. 

Live theatre like Lyle the Crocodile can be funny, delightful and moving - and it’s far more than just entertainment. Theatre is key for kids to learn how to be more creative, more communicative, and more curious about the world around them. 

Theatre Enhances Creativity and Imagination: Live theatre asks us to use our imaginations. The actor in a great costume isn’t really a singing snail who delivers the mail - but our imaginations can take what’s on stage and expand it in our minds. This kind of thinking strengthens flexibility and resourcefulness.

Even cooler, research shows that drama processes encourage what's known as divergent thinking or thinking in multiple directions. Making theatre is a process of discovering and figuring out where the story goes (in improv) or how the story is told and what it means (scripted). The open-ended and uncertain nature increases kids' tolerance of ambiguity and sparks curiosity. It’s good for your brain! 

Kids in a summer drama camp at the Arvada Center

Theatre Improves Mental Health: Research has found people who engage with theatre (either viewing it or participating in it - even as a hobby!) for two or more hours per week show significantly better mental health. Attending live theatre is a communal experience. For example, did you know that when people sit together in a theatre, their hearts beat together in unison?

Scientists conducted an experiment that showed how audience members' hearts began to beat together in unison while watching a play. Interestingly, researchers believe that the effect of that communal heartbeat may help those in the audience overcome group differences and experience something meaningful together.

Theatre Promotes Empathy: Kids exposed to the theatre can better identify with multiple perspectives and opinions, thanks to how actors take on roles and how a story may present a character’s perspective, intention and goal. 

Even witnessing actors onstage do this in a shared space builds this skill. When a play or musical explores a difficult topic like bullying or family struggles, watching this allows kids to discover emotions they may not have experienced in their own lives, which develops empathy. 

Theatre Is Fun! Sure, live theatre is great for your brain, your emotional well-being, your ability to empathize and care about others - and it’s a good time too. The joy that comes from a family outing to see live music, dance or theatre is its own reward. 

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A photo from A Year With Frog and Toad, the Theatre for Young Audiences title in 2024.

Our audiences have many memories of the Arvada Center - but the story we hear most often is this: I came there as a child on a field trip, to see theatre. The impacts of those visits are lifelong. And your support of the Arvada Center - particularly our Theatre for Young Audiences program - changes the lives of thousands of kids in our community.

About Lyle the Crocodile:

When Joshua and the Primm family move to East 88th Street in New York City, they find a surprise guest in their new home’s bathtub - one friendly crocodile named Lyle.

He’s different, and he’s a crocodile, but the neighbors in the building begin to love him. Well, except for Mr. Grumps who would rather Lyle be at the zoo for the safety of his kitty, Loretta. But when Lyle the Crocodile saves the day, even Mr. Grumps must look past his fear of those who are different and begin to appreciate Lyle for just what he is - one friendly, tap-dancing crocodile.

Based on the Lyle, Lyle the Crocodile and The House on East 88th Street books by Bernard Waber, this delightful story was adapted for the stage by Kevin Kling. This Theatre For Young Audiences production is a musical recommended for grades K-5 and teaches about examining our assumptions and embracing what makes each of us unique.

Tickets for each performance of Lyle the Crocodile includes admittance to our Peak Into the Production program - a look into the magic of theatre! A collaboration between the Education and Production teams, this 15-20 minute program, led by actors from the show, gives young audiences a deeper understanding of how costumes, set design, props, lighting, and sound come together to bring a story to life on stage.

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