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SteppingStone Theatre

Welcome to SteppingStone Theatre

Saint Paul's Professional Theatre for Young Actors

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Freedom

February 3–26, 2012

Adapted by Kim Hines
from the book
Almost to Freedom by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson

"A doll is a witness who cannot die, with a doll you are never alone."
-Margaret Atwood

From the gifted playwright Kim Hines comes a vivid and dramatic tale based upon the popular book by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson.

A young girl is given a rag doll, through whose eyes we see the extremes of slave life—the cruelty, the love, and the daring escape from slavery via the Underground Railroad. A great play for Black History Month.

Text copyright ©2003. Published by Carolrhoda Books, Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission.

Great for Grades 2–8.

Ticket Prices:

Children & Seniors (55+): $11
Adults: $14
Family Flex Punch Pass (12): $ 99
Six Punch Mini-Pass (6): $55
Groups of 20+: $7.00

For the calendar and more information click here!

Buy tickets


 

Larrie Yazzie and the Native Pride Dancers

March 2-11, 2012

Rainbow-colored headdresses, pulsating drumming, and fancy footwork are part of the excitement of a Native American powwow. World Champion Fancy Dancer Larry Yazzie and the Native Pride Dancers perform flamboyant movements passed down by their ancestors and sacred songs from the Northern Plains.

larryyazziephoto
Enjoy the beauty, athleticism, and majesty of the Fancy Dance, featuring freestyle movement with focused energy, dance regalia, and traditional songs from the Northern Plains. Enhanced by indigenous vocal and flute music, other dances like the Buffalo, Eagle, Hoop, and Round Dances celebrate various animals, crops, the sun, and the wind.

Great for all ages.

Ticket Prices:
Children & Seniors (55+): $11
Adults: $14
Family Flex Punch Pass (12): $ 99
Six Punch Mini-Pass (6): $55
Groups of 20+: $7.00

Buy Tickets

For the calendar, prices, and special events click here!

SteppingStone Theatre
School for Young Actors

Wizard PhotoSchool-Year Classes

Whether you’re looking for a creative outlet for your three-year-old or you’re an experienced teen performer wanting intensive theater training, SteppingStone Theatre has a class for you!

Classes offered for ages 3.5-17.

Spring 2012

Thaw out with SteppingStone's Saturday classes and Spring Break Classes!
Register Now!

Summer Camp

Spark your imagination and creativity this summer at SteppingStone Theatre! Classes start June 11, 2012, but don't wait; Sign up before March 26 and get early-bird pricing. Learn more and register now!

 

stonesoupphotoGet On Stage!

Actors ages 10-19 can audition for our shows, and act on our stage. Anyone can sign up. No Cost & No Experience Necessary!

We encourage children and youth with or without experience to audition. Our auditions are open to actors of all races, cultures, sizes, and abilities. Try it, it's fun!

All auditions are held in groups of 10-12 actors. There is no preparation necessary. We do request that you call to sign up for an audition time at least a week before the audition date.

Please call 651-225-9265 to arrange your time.

Audition Dates for our 2011-2012 Season

A Little Princess
Auditions: Monday, August 1st and Tuesday, August 2nd, 6-8:30pm

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
Auditions: Monday, September 12th, Tuesday, September 13th and Wednesday, September 14th, 6-8:30pm (Adult auditions to be announced) .

Almost to Freedom
Auditions: Monday, October 24th and Tuesday, October 25th, 6-8:30pm

Pinocchio
Auditions: Monday, March 26th and Tuesday, March 27th, 6-8:30pm

SteppingStone TheatreWho We Are

For more than 20 years, SteppingStone Theatre has created entertaining and enlightening theatre for youth and families that emphasizes the diversity of cultures and experiences that make up our audience, performers and the region.

SteppingStone Theatre’s mission is to “develop the whole child by using educational theatre programs and fully-staged productions to build self-esteem, confidence, and a sense of community, while celebrating diversity in a supportive, non-competitive atmosphere.”

Our Core Values

  • Theatre Education for Children Improves Quality of Life;
  • Celebrating Diverse Cultures Improves Quality of Communities; and
  • Excellent Management Improves Quality of Service.

What Makes Us Unique

Most of the plays we produce on our Mainstage are new works written especially for us by some of the region's best playwrights. The characters in the plays are almost entirely children & youth, so the young actors don't have to pretend to be 30-years older than they are. In the same way, all of the actors who are portraying children are themselves children—no 30 year-olds pretending to be 15 here!

Why We Do That

We strive for our plays to authentically reflect the experiences of our audiences. We don't talk down to them, we let the young actors talk directly to the young audience members without adults interpreting it for them. It's incredibly powerful for a child to see characters their own age having a positive effect on the world around them. And it's just as powerful for the actors in the play to feel in their bones what it's like to be the hero in their own story!

Who Are Our Shows Appropriate For?

Anyone and Everyone! All of our plays have elements that even the very youngest children will enjoy—music, dancing and theatrical magic. And likewise, all of our plays have elements that even the most jaded teenager will enjoy—not least, seeing their peers on a professional stage.

About Princess Amaradevi--The Belle of Victoria (pictured above)

During the summer of 2007, Sharra Frank and eight Apprentices from the COMPAS ArtsWork program, ages fourteen to nineteen, worked together full time for six weeks to create a outdoor mosaic sculpture for the SteppingStone Theatre.

The six foot cement sculpture was made out of welded steel rebar, metal mesh and cement. The cement sculpture was then covered with a mosaic made of glass, beads and mirror.

The sculpture represents Princess Amaradevi, a Cambodian folktale character who symbolizes honesty and courage. The SteppingStone Theatre works to develop and support children in a diverse, non-competitive community. Young artist's creativity, self expression and confidence is fostered and encouraged. Sharra and her apprentices goal was to communicate these important elements that define Steppingstone’s mission through the sculpture, Princess Amaradevi, who now greets the young actors and their families at the entrance of the Theatre.

For more information on Princess Amaradevi visit Sharra Frank's website.

 

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SteppingStone TheatreFor Teachers

Learn more about SteppingStone Theatre's programs, bring your class to see a show, find Study Guides for our shows, or bring a SteppingStone Theatre artist to your classroom or after-school program. More info...

Volunteer for SteppingStone Theatre!

SteppingStone Theatre can always use volunteers! Ushers, teaching assistants, gardening and much more. More info…

Interested in Renting SteppingStone Theatre for Your Event?

For Rates & Information, please click here.

 

Winner of the Sally Ordway Irvine Award for Education, the Aurand C. Harris Children's Theatre Award & Saint Paul Heritage Preservation Award

SteppingStone Theatre is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, and relies on donations and sponsorships to keep our programs accessible to all. If you are able, please donate today.

Special thanks to our "MegaStar" Donors. For a complete list of current donors, please click here.

Charities Review Council 3M STAR Program
Ecolab McKnight Foundation
MN State Arts Board NEA
United Arts Fund Target Travelers