Alliance Theatre Institute

The Alliance Theatre Institute partners with school districts and schools to deliver professional learning for educators and arts integrated or theater-based instruction for students. Designed to support school curriculum and individual classroom goals across grade levels and content areas, Institute programs include: residencies, student workshops, and professional learning events. All programs can be implemented virtually or in-person.

Institute initiatives are aligned with the Georgia Standards of Excellence and Georgia Early Learning and Development Standards and yield proven results in students’ academic achievement and social-emotional growth. Additionally, these offerings provide teachers the opportunity to engage in job-embedded professional development by collaborating with professional teaching artists who embody high quality artistry and utilize their art form to positively impact school communities.

Social Media: Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn

Languages Spoken: The teaching artist roster for the Alliance Theatre Institute speaks a variety of languages, included but not limited to: Spanish, German, Hebrew, Tagalog, and American Sign Language.

Arts Disciplines: Music, Theatre/Drama, Dance, Media Arts, Creative Writing, Storytelling, Poetry/Spoken Word, Puppetry

Core Content Curriculum Areas: Music, Theatre/Drama, Dance, Media Arts, English/Language Arts, Math, Science, Social Studies/History, Technology

Specialized Content Areas: Arts Integration, STEAM, ELL (English Language Learners), Literacy, History, Math, Character Education, Social Justice Education, Mindfulness Strategies, Classroom Management Strategies

Grade Levels: Pre-K, K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12

Special Populations: ELL (English Language Learners), At-Risk Students, Dyslexic Students, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Students, BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) students, LGBTQI+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Intersex) students, Exceptional Learners (students with disabilities as well as those who are gifted and talented

Pre-Service Learning and Professional Development: Professional Development for K-12 Teachers

Geographic Availability: Metro Atlanta, North Georgia, Middle Georgia, South Georgia

Program Types:
School-based Classroom Workshop(s), School-based Residency Program, Hybrid Online and In-Person Content for Schools

Program Fees:

Workshop Fees – One-time student workshops start at $150 per class for a 45-60 minute experience.

Residency fees – The cost per participating classroom includes teaching artist fees, supplies, travel, etc. The fees for the Alliance Theatre Institute’s residency programs vary, depending on a school’s Title 1 status. Public Title 1 schools pay 25% of the true cost of the program, Public non-Title 1 schools pay 50%, and private schools pay 75%. The Alliance then commits to raising the remainder of the true program cost.

Artistic Profile:

The Alliance Theatre Institute is the in-school arm of the Alliance Theatre’s robust education department. Now the largest arts education provider in Georgia, the Alliance Theatre started its life 50+ years ago as the Atlanta Children’s Theatre, so arts education makes up the very core of who we are. Since the Theatre’s inception in 1968, we have been committed to creating the highest quality artistic experiences for children and teens, both in school and at the Woodruff Arts Center, and the Alliance won the 2007 Tony Award recognizing our artistic excellence and commitment to education and community engagement in our metro Atlanta community. More than 50,000 children see a production, participate in an Alliance Theatre Institute residency, or enroll in an Acting Program class or camp annually.

The Alliance Theatre Institute provides arts integration residencies for pre-school through 12th grades, providing job-embedded professional development for teachers and increasing student outcomes by using arts strategies to teach across subjects. The Institute staff are experts in the field of arts education, and they work closely with the Institute’s more than 35 highly-trained teaching artists to deliver all residency programs.

Teaching Experience:

All Alliance Theatre Institute teaching artists are experts in their artistic disciplines and are well-versed in education pedagogy and state standards. In addition to outside degrees, certifications, and trainings, all teaching artists undergo training at the Alliance, and all Georgia Wolf Trap Early Learning Through the Arts teaching artists undergo national Wolf Trap training from a master teaching artist. Wolf Trap is a national early learning literacy program, and the Alliance is the only provider in Georgia.

The Alliance Theatre has been providing professional development for teachers for more than 20 years, and the Alliance Theatre Institute has existed in its current structure for eight years after incorporating the Woodruff Arts Center’s Young Audiences programming. The Alliance Theatre Institute is lauded as a national model for what successful, flourishing school system and community partner partnerships can look like..

Sample Programs:

Residencies:
- Residencies provide an in-depth learning experience for students and job-embedded professional learning for teachers. In partnership with a professional teaching artist, educators co-plan and co-facilitate a standards-aligned unit of study designed to meet each classroom’s specific goals.
  An in-person residency typically includes: (1) Orientation, (2-4) Planning Meetings, (8-12) Classroom Sessions, and (1) optional Culminating Event. Virtual residencies can be modified to include fewer (4-6) Classroom Sessions delivered through real-time video conferencing or pre-recorded videos.
Workshops:
- Workshops are customizable, participatory experiences designed to foster student engagement and extend learning across content areas.
  Typically 1-2 hours in length, each workshop is hand-crafted to serve up to 30 students with a meaningful lesson focused on a specific text, standard, technique, or skill. The Alliance Theatre Institute offers pre- and post-show workshops connected to all Alliance Theatre productions. Additionally, workshops regularly occur as standalone learning events, both in person and virtually.
Professional Learning:
- Professional learning events offer educators training in a new skill or technique, deep understanding of best practices, practical tools and resources, exclusive access to industry leaders, and the opportunity to thrive as artists.
  Districts and schools depend on the Alliance Theatre as a go-to resource for high quality professional learning events related to arts integration, STEAM, performing arts (theater, dance/movement, music, dramatic writing), allyship and anti-bias, and other related topics.
  
  Professional learning events are designed to serve up to 30 educators and are flexible in length, from 1-2 hours to a half-day (3-4 hours) or full day (5-6 hours) event.