SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Saratoga Children’s Theatre (SCT) has big plans this summer for their brand-new space.
For the last 12 years, since they formed in 2008, the SCT has rented all over the city of Saratoga to rehearse – the senior center, the town hall, Saratoga Springs High School, and even traveling to Round Lake to perform. Their new, permanent space at 615 Maple Avenue has everything they need at one site: dance studios with a semi-sprung floor and full-mirrored walls, private lesson space, office space, and a black box theater.
“It’s unbelievable,” said Leigh Berenis, Executive Director of the Saratoga Children’s Theatre, about moving into the new space. “I’ve been with the company for 6 years now, and it’s been at the top of my list. It’s kind of crazy taking on a huge space but it’s the dream.”
They are past stage one of construction, and are fully moved in. To move on to stage two, which includes getting seating and lighting for the black box theater, they will need to keep raising money and finding grants.
“We are a small nonprofit, and a big misconception with theater is that it’s a frivolous activity,” said Berenis. “But it’s so much more than that. It’s learning to public speak, to work as a team in an ensemble, learning in-depth about script analysis and character analysis, how to speak about and tap into your emotions. We work with so many underprivileged kids, and we don’t turn anyone away for a scholarship even if we don’t have the funds available, we will always figure it out.”
Summer Performances
SCT’s Summer Camp performances will be held in an open-air theater, under a large tent outside, that will be safer with COVID. The youngest at the summer camp, five and six-year-olds, do a basic song and dance performance every week. The 7-12 age group learn to incorporate more acting and performing techniques in their 30 to 40 min. performances, and the teens put on full-length shows.
Performances are rain or shine, bring your own lawn chair. You can get tickets at saratogachildrenstheatre.org. The schedule is as follows:
July 9: How I Became a Pirate (12:30 p.m. and 4 p.m.)
July 16: Pippin (7 p.m.)
July 17: Pippin (1 p.m. and 7 p.m.)
July 23: Frozen Kids (12:30 p.m. and 4 p.m.)
Aug. 6: Dear Edwina Jr. (12:30 p.m. and 4 p.m.)
Aug. 13: Glee (12:30 p.m. and 4 p.m.)
Aug. 20: Freaky Friday (7 p.m.)
Aug. 21: Freaky Friday (1 p.m. and 7 p.m.)
The Community Market & Open Mic
SCT has partnered with neighbors Artisanal Brew Works, Caffe Lena, RomCom Candles and 30+ other rotating local vendors for the first year of their outdoor Community Market. Community Markets and Open Mics will be at their new space (615 Maple Ave) from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the following Sundays: July 11, July 25, Aug. 8, and Aug. 15.
“We hope that we can help out the community and have people here using this space all year round,” said Berenis. “It’s been a tough year for everybody and since we have the space to have a market and draw people here to support every kind of business that we can possibly support, then we are going to do it. That’s what the idea was behind the Community Market.”
There is no fee to attend the Community Market or Open Mic. The Open Mic is a way for anyone to get out and perform – children and families, poetry, or bands, etc.
In addition, Warm It Up, A donation-based low-impact workout class will be held at 9 a.m. before the Markets begin. All you need to bring is a yoga mat or towel.
Interested in being a vendor, or want to sign up for Open Mic? You can find the link to the forms onlineat www.saratogachildrenstheatre.org, or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
