Austin, TX

Scottish Rite Children's Theatre in Austin

Address: 207 West 18th St., Austin, TX 78701 - MAP
Phone: (512) 472-5436
Web: www.srct.org

The Scottish Rite Children's Theatre is a true children's theater, presenting well-known children's classic stories with a sense of humor, whimsy and breathtaking costumes and backdrops.

The Theatre is Austin's oldest surviving live theater venue. It was built in 1869 as a German opera house and purchased by the Freemasons in the early 1900's. In the tradition of historic theaters, period costumes and hand-painted backdrops from the late 1800's are still used today in many of the high-quality productions.

The original plays are adapted from well-known children's fairytales and stories. The theater puts a modern twist on the tales, which are written to be interactive with the children in the audience and include positive life lessons. Throughout each play, children are encouraged to help the hero defeat the villain and participate in the fun.

The Scottish Rite Children's Theatre seating includes a special reserved area at the front of the stage, where children can sit on carpet squares and interact with the actors if they wish. The actors also mingle with the theater-goers after the shows, signing autographs and posing for pictures with the children.

The building, which also serves as a home to the Scottish Rite Masons, hosts an annual summer Creative Drama Camp for children ages 5 and older. Each week includes a different theme, like "Superhero Squad" and "Great Adventures in Shakespeare."