Early Childhood Classes And Performances Return To Imagination Stage This Winter
A season of Theatre for the Very Young and hands-on arts classes invites little learners to explore.
By: A.A. Cristi Dec. 11, 2025
Imagination Stage, the metro DC region's leader in positive youth development through the arts, will offer a wide-ranging winter program for children ages one to five.
This season includes two interactive Theatre for the Very Young productions—Balloonacy (January 10–February 15) and Good Morning, Good Night (March 20–April 19)—in the Christopher and Dana Reeve Studio Theatre. A new session of early childhood arts classes begins January 20 for ages 12 months through age five. Press is invited to Balloonacy starting January 11 and to Good Morning, Good Night starting March 22.
For over 45 years, Imagination Stage has been a national leader in arts education for young people, and since 2010 has been at the forefront of Theatre for the Very Young (TVY) in the United States. Co-pioneer Kathryn Chase Bryer notes that these sensory-driven performances are “amazing aesthetic experiences, full of beautiful moments for very young children to process, whether they are verbal or non-verbal.”
About Early Childhood Classes
Teaching artists foster a welcoming, developmentally supportive environment in Imagination Stage’s early childhood classrooms. Children ages one to five may participate in “You & Me” classes with a parent or caregiver, while children ages three and up may enroll independently in creative drama sessions. Sample offerings include You & Me: Growing in the Garden, ASL Bilingual: You & Me at the Zoo, Disney Drama, and Pirates and Mermaid Tales. More information is available at imaginationstage.org/classes.
Education Director Nikki Kaplan describes the curriculum as “a sensory-stimulating way to introduce young children to the world of theatre and dance. They develop their gross motor skills, while also starting to build lifelong skills such as teamwork, sharing, confidence, and independence.”
About the Shows
Balloonacy brings the iconic red balloon of The Red Balloon into the life of a lonely old man for a wordless, movement-driven story told in the style of a 1930s silent film. Accessible to all ages and languages, the production features Matthew Pauli as The Old Man, with a script by Barry Kornhauser and direction by Janet Stanford.
From March 20–April 19, Imagination Stage will present the World Premiere of Good Morning, Good Night by Doug Robinson, directed by Kathryn Chase Bryer. The story follows two characters who make the elements of morning and night happen through simple, imaginative play. The sensory-rich staging places families in a circle onstage, allowing young children to experience discoveries in real time. Bryer notes that while adults take elements like clouds and stars for granted, “for young children these natural occurrences are momentous events.”
Chief Artistic Programming Officer Joanne Lamparter adds that Imagination Stage’s TVY productions are designed with “the highest standards of developmental appropriateness, pedagogy, and artistry.” Young audiences experience the work up close, often with their own small bag of props to use during the show.
Baltimore Awards - Live Stats
Best Musical - Top 3
1.
DISASTER: THE MUSICAL (Annapolis Summer Garden Theatre)
10.1% of votes
2.
HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH (Maryland Ensemble Theatre)
6.5% of votes
3.
THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME (September Song)
6% of votes
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