It’s Carmela’s birthday, and her wish has already come true–she’s finally old enough to join her big brother as he does the family errands. On their way to the laundromat, past fields of what Mamí calls “flores de cempazuchitl,” Carmela finds a lone dandelion growing in the pavement. Before she can even blow its puffy white fluff away, her brother asks, “did you even make a wish?” Should she wish for Mami, who works long hours in a downtown hotel trying to make ends meet? Or Papi, a migrant worker who is currently…absent.
Full of touching and funny fantasies, the book by Matt de la Peña, and now the play, portrays Carmela’s migrant community as a vibrant place of possibility. Join families from all over the city for this moving ode to family, to dreamers, and to finding hope in the most unexpected places.
October 25 - December 13, 2026 (no class 11/29)
Sundays, 9:00-9:45am
at Chicago Children's Theatre, 100 S Racine Ave
For ages 1-4 with a caregiver
Registration: $158 plus fees, financial assistance is available
Drop-In class options available for $25 plus fees
Bounce like a bunny, scamper like a mouse, or hoot like an owl as we play in the forest together. Through creative drama you and your little one will explore woodland creatures, discover the mysteries of the forest, and sing songs all while expanding social-emotional and motor skills, and building confidence expressing your creative sides as you play together. Each Sunday a different book will be read including stories from Beatrix Potter’s collection like Peter Rabbit! Sunday Story Jams will help develop your child’s fine and gross motor skills, early literacy, and blossoming creative spirit.
October 25 - December 13, 2026 (no class 11/29)
Sundays, 9:15-10:15am
at Chicago Children's Theatre, 100 S Racine Ave
For ages 5-8
This is a drop-off class—students attend without their caregivers.
Registration: $210 plus fees, financial assistance is available
Calling all cute critters and creepy crawlies to the stage! Through multi-sensory creative drama, movement activities and songs you’ll hop with bunnies, burrow with mice, and find your special role in the ecosystem. Through reading stories together and bringing them to life, you’ll gain skills in:
- Performing confidently in front of others
- Using body and voice to play a character
- Identifying and portraying emotions
- Making friends
- Listening and teamwork
…and more! On the final day of class, we will share our imaginary adventures with family and friends.
October 25 - December 13, 2026
Sundays, 10:00-11:30am
at Chicago Children's Theatre, 100 S Racine Ave
For ages 8-11
No class on November 29, 2026
This is a drop-off class—students attend without their caregivers.
Registration: $315 plus fees, financial assistance is available
You’re ready for the spotlight! Come share your unique voice and personality, and confidently say to the world: “This is me!” Level up your vocal technique and onstage confidence by diving into musicals that feature bold, brave, and unique characters - in the theatre world and beyond. On the last day of class, you will perform some favorite songs and scenes for family and friends.
In this class you will:
- Build a confident singing voice through lessons in vocal technique
- Expressing unique characters through body and voice
- Learn and perform group choreography
…and more! On the last day of class, you will perform your show stopping numbers for family and friends right in your classroom.
October 25 - December 13, 2026
Sundays, 10:30-11:15am
at Chicago Children's Theatre, 100 S Racine Ave
For ages 4-7 with a caregiver
No class on November 29, 2026
Registration: $158 plus fees, financial assistance is available
Drop-In class options available for $25 plus fees
Designed for youth on the autism spectrum with a participating grown-up, this highly-interactive creative drama class will get the whole family moving and imagining! Bond with your little one through creative drama, music, and multisensory activities, while supporting your child’s motor development, communication skills, self-confidence, and blossoming creative spirit.
October 25 - December 13, 2026 (no class 11/29)
Sundays, 11:30-12:30pm
at Chicago Children's Theatre, 100 S Racine Ave
For ages 8-12
This is a drop-off class—students attend without their caregivers.
Registration: $210 plus fees, financial assistance is available
Designed for youth on the autism spectrum, this actor’s workshop will focus on the basics of improv! During this class you'll learn that the best improv happens when everyone works together. Through improv games and ensemble work, you'll build skills in:
- Adding onto ideas with "Yes, And…"
- Performing short-form improv games
- Making bold character choices
- Active listening and supporting your teammates
…and more! In the final workshop, you’ll perform a mini Improv show for friends and family right in your classroom!
October 25 - December 13, 2026
Sundays, 12:30-2:00pm
at Chicago Children's Theatre, 100 S Racine Ave
For ages 11-14
No class on November 29, 2026
This is a drop-off class—students attend without their caregivers.
Registration: $315 plus fees, financial assistance is available
An advanced acting intensive for students ready to deepen their craft. Students learn professional text analysis techniques, breaking down character objectives, given circumstances, and emotional beats, and apply them to fully realized scene work with a partner. Students build critical thinking, collaboration, and confident performance skills. The last day of class will culminate in a final showcase where they perform their scenes for family and friends.
October 25 - December 13, 2026 (no class 11/29)
Sundays, 12:45-1:45pm
at Chicago Children's Theatre, 100 S Racine Ave
For ages 13-18
This is a drop-off class—students attend without their caregivers.
Registration: $210 plus fees, financial assistance is available
Designed for youth on the autism spectrum, this actor’s workshop will focus on the basics of improv! During this class you'll learn that the best improv happens when everyone works together. Through improv games and ensemble work, you'll build skills in:
- Adding onto ideas with "Yes, And…"
- Performing short-form improv games
- Making bold character choices
- Active listening and supporting your teammates
…and more! In the final workshop, you’ll perform a mini Improv show for friends and family right in your classroom!
For Ages 6-12
9:30am-4:00pm at CCT, 100 S Racine Ave
Free before care from 8:30-9:30am and free after care from 4:00-5:30pm
Registration: $110 plus fees, financial assistance is available
During Chicago Public School non-attendance days for students, Chicago Children’s Theatre offers high-energy day camps for children in grades 1-5. Throughout the day, students will rotate through a series of unique arts and theatre classes, dig deeper into their interests by making selections between curated arts activities, and forge new friendships along the way. Past camps have included: acting, improv, songwriting, clowning, beatboxing, puppet design, yoga, prop and costume creation, and much more. Each day of camp is entirely different from the last!
Four adorable Beatrix Potter favorites come to life in this mesmerizing, interactive trunk and puppet show, complete with original music. Storytellers weave Potter’s classic narration with gentle interactive moments, recruiting young watchers to join the adventure. After the show, head to the lobby to play with the puppets, take pictures with the cast, and join fellow Chicago families for a communal holiday party featuring a festive spread of holiday treats! Our stories this year will include ”The Tale of Jeremy Fisher,” The Tale of The Tailor of Gloucester,” “The Tale of Mrs. Tittlemouse,” and of course, “The Tale of Peter Rabbit.”
September 29 - December 15, 2026
Tuesdays, 9:30-10:15am
at Chicago Children's Theatre, 100 S Racine Ave
For ages 12-36 months with a caregiver
No class on November 3 and 24, 2026
Registration: $225 plus fees, financial assistance is available
Drop-In class options available for $25 plus fees
HEAD, SHOULDERS, KNEES & TOES (September 29 - October 27)
IF YOU'RE HAPPY AND YOU KNOW IT (November 10 - December 15)
Explore our wide selection of unique weekly classes for theatre novices, accomplished performers, and everyone in-between. Led by experienced and enthusiastic teaching artists, our classes help students gain confidence, develop their artistic voices, and build lasting friendships.
Leonardo is a terrible monster. He tries so hard to be scary, but he just…isn’t. Then Leonardo finds Sam, the most scaredy-cat kid in the world. Will Leonardo finally get his chance to scare the tuna salad out of an unsuspecting human? Or will it be the start of an unlikely friendship? They will need to make a big decision: will they be friends or will they be controlled by their fears?
Leonardo! A Wonderful Show About A Terrible Monster is adapted from the beloved children’s books by Mo Willems, and realized through mind-bending projection, DIY cinema, music, and immersive sound by critically-acclaimed multimedia artists Manual Cinema.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show has been dazzling audiences around the globe for over five years, faithfully bringing to the stage Eric Carle’s timeless classics. Created by Jonathan Rockefeller, each production of the critically acclaimed show features a menagerie of over 75 magical puppets, including the star of the show –The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Alongside “The Very Hungry Caterpillar,” the show features three other Eric Carle stories, including “Brown Bear, Brown Bear,” “10 Little Rubber Ducks,” and “The Very Busy Spider.”
Submit A R.O.A.R. Residency Inquiry Form
R.O.A.R. (Residencies of Arts and Resilience) will provide an opportunity for students to authentically reflect on challenging or stressful situations, gaining the tools for sharing with others, self care and self agency in those moments. The curriculum (developed in partnership with the Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children’s Center for Childhood Resilience) uses children’s literature, theatre and other multi-disciplinary art forms as the source material for trauma-informed activities and conversations that promote coping mechanisms, social-emotional expression, and resilience. Our goal is for 100% of our students to "ROAR" with confidence, “I am a brave person.”
“I just wanted to let you know how much the students and teachers love the program. A fellow teacher told me yesterday that one of the students that never speaks in her class participated and shared for the first time with your teachers. This also happened in my class with a student – she has never spoken out loud before. She speaks little English and is self-conscious, but this program has helped her overcome it. I just wanted to say thank you for all of the great work that you are doing.” - Alison, Hamline Elementary
Submit A Red Kite Residency Inquiry Form
Red Kite Drama Time is an adaptive theater program for young people on the autism spectrum and other neurodiverse learners. The primary pillars of our curriculum are social-emotional learning (SEL), creative drama, and English Language Arts speaking and listening skills. Guided by highly trained theatre artists, students use existing stories as the basis for creating their own monologues and scenes, while exploring their emotional expressivity and understanding through the hands-on practice of theatre. Our classes engage in creative play and sensory experiences to encourage students to connect with their unique body, voice, imagination, and with the community around them.
“This clearly was a beautiful experience, one that more children, autistic or not, should have.” -H. Schubert, Professor and University Scholar, Director of Graduate Studies, Department of Curriculum and Instruction, University of Illinois at Chicago