Philosophy

We believe that the performing arts have a valuable place in our community, and that through participation in the arts, children will develop and build their self-confidence and self-expression. We also believe that the teamwork, discipline and dedication required by the craft of theater teaches life skills that positively influence the lives of children. We further endeavor to participate cooperatively with the larger community of arts groups wherever possible.

History

Founder's Reflections
By Martha Murphy

In the summer of 1981, I moved to Whidbey Island, bought a vintage farmhouse in Langley and together with my two young daughters, set about making a new life for myself and my girls. My previous work as a secondary English teacher in Texas had offered me several years of being a Drama Teacher and director at three different high schools. In my new life on Whidbey Island, I was determined to find a way to work with children and combine my love of theater.

During my first year in Langley, I started offering Creative Drama classes in my home and that same year, I founded Whidbey Children's Theater. My vision was to give local kids a creative outlet to express themselves through group activities including theater games, acting and singing, something I had done all my life growing up in a big family in Dallas, Texas. I wanted to help children grow into self-confident, self-expressive young people who would find empowerment through their theatrical experiences. And, most importantly, I wanted my students to have fun!

Within the first full year of operation, I had worked with over 50 children, and had moved classes into local church basements, the Langley Library, the public schools, and staged two shows at the Clyde Theatre, which became our favorite venue for 20 years! For three of the early years, WCT also used the stage above the Doghouse for both classes and productions. With every class there was a performance which I believed was an important part of the learning experience.

In 1989 my husband and I purchased a barn across the street from our farmhouse and immediately transformed it into WCT''s THIRD STREET BARN. This was the home of WCT for 14 years, being the location of classes, small productions, Haunted House, and a place for storing costumes, sets and props. Classes and productions continued and WCT brought in additional teachers, choreographers and directors. A core group of parent volunteers helped with production aspects for the bigger shows, but most of the work of WCT was done by the students themselves.

In the summer of 2003, as I was beginning my 22nd year with WCT, our family sold the BARN, and a group of parents approached me with the offer to help WCT become a Non-Profit, Charitable Organization with a permanent home. They wanted to insure that future generations of children might have the same opportunities their children had experienced. In a relatively short time, WCT found a new home in the Porter Building, formed a Board, gained our 501c3 and built a theater of our own! That was the beginning of the great surge of growth WCT has experienced in recent years.