"I look back upon my experience at
CTA and smile because of the lasting memories, friendships, boost in confidence and opportunities to grow that it gave me.
Carrie Anne Ponder
2002 CTA Scholarship Grant Winner
Our Season
2009 - 2010 Fiftieth Anniversary Season
The fiftieth season promises to be a memorable year in the CTA’s home theatre at Bay Head Park. This season is full of exciting events, shows, productions and workshops. Be the first to receive regular up dates on all CTA events and get first choice on tickets and seating by joining CTA.
Main Stage Productions
Brundibar
October 23 – 25, 2009
The enduring children’s opera about Little Joe and his sister Annette, who are joined by a cat, a sparrow and a dog, outwit the town bully, Brundibar the organ grinder. Performed 55 times in the Terezin Concentration Camp during 1943-1944, the opera reflects the good and evil of the day through a simple story of friendship and hope. The opera’s victory song is a unifying message for all which states, 'He who loves so much his mother and father and his native land is our friend and he can play with us.'
Approximately 100 of the more than 11,000 children that passed through Terezin survived, but their poems, art work and writings are a part of these performances of Brundibar. CTA is very fortunate that Ela Stein Weissberger, who played the cat in all 55 performances, will be the guest speaker. Mrs. Weissberger was interned for three and half years before Terezin was liberated May 3, 1945. Fortunately she, her mother and sister, avoided transport to Auschwitz-Birkenau Extermination camp because they were needed to work as field laborers. Mrs. Weissberger, who went on the live in Prague, Israel and then the United States, has spent the past thirty years travelling the world to speak about Terezin and Brundibar. Mrs. Weissberger will be sign books about her life in Terezin; “the Cat With the Yellow Star” and “The Girls in Room 28” after the performance.
General Admission: Adults $15, Youth and Seniors $12
The Music Man
January 8 – 17, 2010
Meredith Willson’s five time Tony winning American classic The Music Man transports audiences to the summer of 1912. Prof. Harold Hill, an unscrupulous traveling salesman, arrives in River City, Iowa with a plan to fleece the townsfolk by selling them band instruments and uniforms with the pretense that he will form a marching band with the town’s youth. Only the town’s librarian, Marian Paroo, sees through his plan to take the money and run. Soon the entire town is turned upside down.
From “Seventy-six Trombones” to “Rock Island”, Shipoopi”, “Gary Indiana” and “Trouble” this music has become a part of the American lexicon.
Reserved Seating: Adults $15, Youth and Seniors $12
WILLY WONKA, Jr.
March 26 – 28, April 9 – 11, 2010
Willy Wonka, owner of a magical and mysterious chocolate factory, invites the audience to join him in a world of "Pure Imagination." Although Wonka excels at making candy, he is ready to retire and find some "bright spark" to continue his candy confectioning.
Roald Dahl's timeless story of the world famous candy man and his quest to find an heir comes to life in this stage adaptation of Charlie and The Chocolate Factory, which features the songs from the classic family film "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory." The memorable score features “The Candy Man”, “Pure Imagination”, “Oompa Loompa” and ”I Want it Now”.
Reserved Seating: Adults $15, Youth and Seniors $12
Training, Workshops and Camps
CTA provides young performers workshops, audition training, summer camp and “Behind the Scenes” theater training days. These programs give each participant the opportunity to learn the basics of theatre, expand their imagination, develop voice, dance and performance techniques, and much more.
This season there are
- two Audition Workshops, one in fall and one in spring;
- five workshops with several in both fall and winter sessions;
- and five summer camp sessions from June through August
“Behind the Scenes” training is presented two times annually and walks the participant through all the aspects of the physical theater including: what is the back stage; front of house; how equipment is operated and explores the artistic aspects such as terminology, stage etiquette, roles, and script reading. The day ends with a performance that incorporates some of the many items that have been learned that day.