Theater Club

ACA’s Theater Club, open to students in third grade and up, gives students an opportunity to explore storytelling on the stage as actors, stage managers, and set crew. A beloved tradition at ACA, the theatrical performances are adaptations or interpretations of classical children’s literature, including Charlie & the Chocolate Factory, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, and Peter Pan. Each year, as many as 50 ACA students collaborate to put on the annual production!

Dramatic arts in a classical, Christian context gives students an opportunity reflect God’s creativity and storytelling. ACA chooses stories that have a clear differentiation between what is true and beautiful and what is evil and false, and the theater gives students fresh opportunity to explore human interaction, reflect on truth, and put their creative gifts to use for the good and delight of their community.

Theater is also a helpful tool in developing virtue: It requires patience, faithfulness, diligence, collaboration, self-discipline, and humility. Students practice being part of one body—one story—and learn that the show relies on each member doing his or her part to achieve the desired outcome. As Paul wrote to the church at Corinth in his first letter, “God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together” (1 For 12:24-26).  So too with the theater! 

The benefits of practice in theatrical arts are aligned too with many of the benefits of classical, Christian education: Students learn to speak clearly in public, explore storytelling, participate in a great tradition of art and literature, and reflect on what it means to be human and made in the image of God.