About CCT
OUR RICH HISTORY
Community Children's Theatre of Dutchess County, Inc. is an all-volunteer organization that has been providing the magic and excitement of quality live theatre for over 50 seasons. Our mission is to bring live, musical theatre to the children of Dutchess County and their families.
Community Children’s Theatre of Dutchess County, incorporated in 1954 after producing shows as the Junior League Theatre since 1951, is the oldest all-volunteer theatre organization in the Hudson Valley. In past years, we have been the recipient of grants from the Dutchess Arts Council. Additionally, in 1998, we were awarded the prestigious Dutchess County Executive’s Award for Outstanding Arts Organization.
Over 100 adults and children are involved both on stage and backstage each season. Over the years we have performed in Dutchess County for hundreds of thousands of family audiences; since our first production, “Robin Hood”, in the fall of 1955, we have produced close to 150 productions.
Our mascot, 'Pockets', was named by school children in a contest conducted in the late 1950s. Those that have seen a CCT show may remember that at the opening of each play, Pockets opens the performance by sprinkling magic fairy dust on the stage from one of their many pockets! Do you remember which one?
WHAT TO EXPECT
Shows:
We typically have two shows every season - one in the Fall and one in the Spring. Our cast ranges from kids as young as 5 years old to adults whose real ages remain unknown. In the past, we have performed on the stages of Cuneen-Hackett, Spackenkill High School, Wappingers Falls Junior High School, and Poughkeepsie Day School, among others. We open each show on a Friday evening, have two performances on Saturday, and one matinee on Sunday. We try to have performance weekends in November and April but have to be flexible and depend on the generosity of the places that host us.
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Auditions:
'Like' us on Facebook, or subscribe to our email list to make sure you hear about all our auditions. The date, time, and location are announced there when they are determined. Children and adults who want to audition should prepare a brief selection from a song they feel comfortable singing. (Sing without accompaniment, or bring it with you - we can't provide any music at the auditions.) Our auditions are conducted in a fairly casual manner, rather than competitive. Older children and adults may be asked to read a brief portion of the script as a character, to give the director a sense of your range. The director casts the show as quickly as possible and will contact you to offer you and/or your child a part in the show.
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Rehearsals:
Dates and times for our rehearsals change from show to show, and are determined based on the schedules of the director and cast and availability of rehearsal space. We strive for a 9-10 week rehearsal schedule, meeting 1-2 times every week. Conflicts with the rehearsal dates and times are understandable, and if you let us know we will try to accommodate you.
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Production Week:
For us, production week is one of the most important weeks of each show. We get to rehearse on the stage, and we practice many times to make sure we have it all down. Every evening, we will run through the show on the stage we'll be performing on, train the cast in the backstage workings of a theater production, and finalize all the sets and costumes. Help from the parents is greatly needed and much appreciated during this time, as we all chip in to make the final push.
