(Huntsville, AL) - This September, Fantasy Playhouse Children’s Theater & Academy (FPCTA) will expand its educational programming to include a new fine arts preschool pilot program. FPCTA’s Fine Arts Preschool Program will specialize in early childhood development through the arts while helping to meet the demand for quality childcare in the North Alabama area. The specialized program will combine theatre arts learning, early childhood educational benchmarks, and STE(A)M. Through this unique program, young imaginative minds will be guided through a creative arts based foundation for academic success and early reading engagement in preparation for Kindergarten. Curriculum includes acting classes, creative movement, music therapy, yoga, mixed media processing, developing critical thinking skills, and more.
FPCTA welcomes Maegan McLaughlin as the Preschool Education Coordinator to lead this new program. McLaughlin, a native of Huntsville, has worked as an educator in the area for over a decade. Along with her years in the classroom, McLaughlin is a board certified music therapist, and in recent years has served on the part time teaching staff for FPCTA including the Fantasy in the Classroom initiative working with teachers and students of all ages in Madison City, Madison County, Athens City, and other Title 1 schools. McLaughlin brings her niche experience in early childhood development not only from her educational training and teaching credentials, but also from growing up through FPCTA and working with their original teen acting troupe, The Fantasy Players. McLaughlin says, “FPCTA has always held a special place in my heart. I look forward to many more wonderful years of working to bring laughter, joy, and theatre through enrichment to the Tennessee Valley as the Preschool Education Coordinator.”
Registration for FPCTA’s Fine Arts Preschool Program is available now. Parents can register via phone or in person. Classes meet Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 9:00 a.m - 1:00 p.m. Tuition is $140/week. The program is set to start on September 7. For more information, visit FantasyPlayhouse.org/fine-arts-preschool.
Space is limited for this new Fine Arts Preschool pilot program with a plan for expansion at the forthcoming new home of FPCTA on their new Terry Heights property in Huntsville. Early childhood teaching facilities, playgrounds, and activity spaces for all FPCTA programs are detailed through the Spotlight on the Future campaign. To learn more about this capital campaign or to learn about legacy giving and sponsorship opportunities, please visit FantasyPlayhouse.org/Spotlight-Campaign.
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Fantasy Playhouse Children’s Theater and Academy (FPCTA) provides theatre arts access through production, education and outreach, reaching more than 31,000 residents annually, including 16,000 children and youth. FPCTA enriches the lives of children and families through theatre and arts education, encouraging students to become self-confident, academically successful, creative-thinking citizens who are more likely to invest in their communities as adults. FPCTA’s core programs include live children’s theatre productions, classes, camps, workshops, fine arts preschool program, and educational outreach through after school theatre classes and In-school touring programs. Recognizing the transformative power theatre arts can have in the life of a child, FPCTA prioritizes theatre arts access for all by engaging local under-resourced communities.
FPCTA is supported in part by the Alabama State Council on the Arts and the City of Huntsville Arts and Cultural grant program. Season support by Redstone Federal Credit Union.
