About Us
History & Mission
We are committed to providing high-quality theater by and for young people, fostering the growth of young people through the performing arts, offering opportunities, especially to underserved and at-risk youth, and promoting the development of a genuinely multiracial, multicultural society.
We believe that access to high-quality arts experiences is a fundamental right. Throughout its history, Oddfellows has remained committed to artistic excellence and social change. The Playhouse’s mission has three parts: 1) an artistic dimension to provide high-quality theater by and for young people; 2) an educational dimension to promote the growth of young people--in skills, knowledge, and self-confidence--through the performing arts; and 3) a social action dimension to offer opportunities especially to underserved and at-risk youngsters to promote the development of a genuinely multiracial, multicultural society. Individual Playhouse programs must address at least one of these broad goals; Playhouse activities as a whole must address all three.
Founded in 1975 by a small group of Wesleyan University students as a theater organization designed to include children from all backgrounds, Oddfellows Playhouse Youth Theater now annually serves approximately 1600 young people, ages 3-20, in a broad spectrum of performing arts activities. The oldest, largest and most active year-round youth theater in Connecticut, the Playhouse is an independent, not-for-profit organization with an arts/social justice mission. Oddfellows has been recognized with an Award of Excellence from the New England Theater Conference, a Community Service Award from the Middlesex County NAACP, a Community Champion Award from Citizens Bank, has been the subject of 2 CPTV documentaries, and was named Connecticut’s Best Children’s Theater by Connecticut Magazine every year from 2013 – 2019.
Oddfellows staff and teaching artists are committed professionals with proven expertise in working with young people and producing the highest quality and most imaginative theater. Teamwork and cooperation are stressed, while life and theater skills are nurtured and refined. A generous financial aid policy offers scholarships to all children who need them. No child is ever turned away for financial reasons, and the Playhouse actively engages marginalized members of the community.
Oddfellows school-year, tuition-based program extends over 32 weeks throughout the school year. The opportunity to perform in front of an audience is part of every student’s experience, whether for family and friends on Share Day or in the mini-and mainstage productions in the theater. A signature event of Oddfellows is the Children’s Circus of Middletown, now in its 35th summer and a national model for community circus. The Children’s Circus is a 5-week summer camp for ages 5 -15 that leads to a spectacular outdoor public performance with over 200 performers and an audience of over 1,000.
In 2018, the Children’s Circus was one of two programs nationally awarded the New York Life Foundation Award for Excellence in Summer Learning by the National Summer Learning Association.
Oddfellows students come from Middletown and 25-30 surrounding communities. 87% of participants are from Middlesex County and 13% are from Greater Hartford. Race and ethnicity is: 52% white; 24% black; 14% Hispanic; 6% mixed; and 4% Asian. 56% are female, 44% male. 48% of students in all programs receive financial aid. The Playhouse has an endowment of around $60,000.
The Playhouse has a small core staff, a committed Board, many contracted artists, technicians and designers, and engages hundreds of volunteers each year. Oddfellows occupies a 10,000 square foot building (now owned by the City of Middletown with OP as primary tenant) in downtown Middletown, CT, and has been a deeply valued community resource for 49 years.
Meet Our Oddfellows
Playhouse Staff
Teaching Residents & Artists
Board of Directors
Promise of Inclusion
At Oddfellows Playhouse, we believe that access to high-quality arts experiences is a fundamental right for all people. We remain committed to artistic excellence and social change. We are vocal about social injustice using storytelling and ensuring that all voices are heard. Oddfellows Playhouse is committed to acknowledging and dismantling systems of inequity in these ways:
- Being culturally responsive to our community of artists, teaching artists, audience members, and community members, thinking of performances, activities, and when we speak.
- What we do at Oddfellows Playhouse is a model for young people. We will highlight BIPOC theater artists, showcase the opportunities for our artists, and we are committed to helping performers achieve their goals.
- Creating a safe space for all ages, where individuals from different backgrounds feel welcome to truly be themselves, creative and brilliant.
- Commitment to regularly scheduled, ongoing training for all staff and board members
- Commitment to never stopping this work and continually figuring out how we can do better
Accessibility Statement
At Oddfellows Playhouse, we believe that access to high-quality arts experiences is a fundamental right for all people. We remain committed to artistic excellence and social change. We are vocal about social injustice using storytelling and ensuring that all voices are heard. We will always do our best to make our programming and performances as accessible and inclusive as possible. Oddfellows Playhouse strives to ensure that our events and programming are accessible to people with disabilities with the strong belief that every person has the right to live with dignity, equality, comfort and independence.
Oddfellows currently offers:
- Wheelchair accessible side entrance
- Elevator
- Wheelchair lift
- ADA seating with removable seats
- ADA compliant bathrooms
- TDD
- Virtual streaming with closed caption (post production)
Disclaimer
Oddfellows Playhouse continues its efforts to constantly improve the accessibility of its site and services in the belief that it is our collective moral obligation to allow accessible and unhindered use for individuals with disabilities. Despite our efforts to make all pages and content on the
Oddfellows Playhouse website fully accessible, some content may not have yet been fully adapted to the highest accessibility standards. This may be a result of not having found or identified the most appropriate technological solution.
Here For You
If you are experiencing difficulty with any content on our website or require assistance with any part of our site, please contact us during normal business hours: 10am-6pm (Eastern Standard Time), Monday-Friday at (860) 347-6143.
As a performing arts center for young people, Oddfellows Playhouse is dedicated to innovation, diversity and inclusion. Our goal is to nurture the creative spirit and promote skills that will serve children throughout their lives.
Our programs are designed to provide young people with the opportunity to develop both performing arts and essential life skills. Students will learn about acting, movement, and performance, as well as important skills such as teamwork, cooperation and responsibility that they will draw on for the rest of their lives.
If you are new to Oddfellows Playhouse, please contact our staff, who will guide you in choosing courses for the semester. To ensure the best experience for your child, please fill out the registration form completely and/or call a member of the Playhouse staff.
Innovative, welcoming programs that nurture both performance skills and personal growth.
What We Offer Young Artists
Frequently Asked Questions
Who We Are
Oddfellows Playhouse is a not-for-profit, tax-exempt, cultural and educational organization that does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethic or national group, gender, disability or religious affiliation. Register early – class sizes are limited!
How to Register
- ONLINE: at www.oddfellows.org – follow the Registration links.
- IN-PERSON: with an Oddfellows Staff Member.
- Your registration is not complete until the program has been paid for in full. All accounts must be paid before the student may attend class.
- Registration for upcoming sessions and programs will not be permitted if an outstanding balance is due.
Payment Plans
We have payment plans available. The first payment must be made two weeks before the first class to secure the student’s slot. The balance is payable before the conclusion of the class, unless specific approval is given in advance. To set up a payment plan, please call the Playhouse at (860) 347-6143.
Financial Aid
Full and Partial Scholarships are available and awarded on the basis of financial need. Please contact the office or visit our website for a financial aid application. A student that has received financial aid in the past, must fill out a new form and submit for approval each school year (effective July 1 through June 30) Financial Aid Applications must be received before the program begins. Students that are awarded financial aid and drop out of a class will forgo their financial aid award for the year.
Registration Confirmation/Receipt
Registration confirmation and a receipt for payment will be sent within 10 business days. If you have any questions, please contact our office for assistance.
Refunds
If the minimum enrollment for a class is not reached, it may be cancelled. Your full payment will be refunded when a class is cancelled if a mutually acceptable replacement is not available. If the time or day of the class changes, a full refund will be issued upon request. All other refunds require a written request, and will be subject to a 15% administrative fee, plus the cost of any classes that have taken place before the request has been submitted. All requests must be received by the completion of the second week of classes; no refunds will be issued after that time unless the gap in class can be immediately filled by another student. There are no refunds due to a student’s absence.
Inclement Weather Policy
In the instance of inclement weather, Oddfellows follows Middletown public schools decisions - if there is no school or early dismissal for weather, we do not hold classes.
Attendance/Make-Up Policy
We do not guarantee that classes cancelled due to circumstances beyond our control (e.g. weather, power outage) will be made up. Classes and rehearsals are held regardless of school vacations and holidays. We encourage you to attend every class as this will make the experience much more valuable for your student and their classmates. If you must miss a class or rehearsal, please let us know in advance so that the teacher can plan appropriately.
Early Pick Up
We highly encourage students to stay for the entire duration of the class. In the event that is not possible on particular days, please call our office to let staff know so they can prepare the student for early dismissal. You can reach the office at 860-347-6143
Late Pick-Up/Liability
Always pick up your child on time. After-School Pickup is between 5:45 and 6 PM (at the latest). Please, only and always cross Washington Street at the Broad Street Crosswalk – Washington Street is a State Highway and is unsafe to cross outside of the crosswalk. Please note that Oddfellows cannot be not responsible for the safety of a child who is around or outside our facility after a program ends or before it begins. If a student is walking or transporting themselves, please send a note before the program begins.
Oddbridge
Our revised and revitalized bridge between school and after-school Oddfellows classes allows Middletown Public School students to take a bus directly from school to the Playhouse. From 3:50pm to the time classes begin at 4:45pm, Oddbridge students will have a snack and participate in supervised arts and community building activities. The Oddbridge programming will provide students with the tools and confidence to get the most out of their Oddfellows Playhouse classes.
To participate, families must choose this option at Registration. Please note that scheduled early dismissals are included in this program and will include special theater and circus events. Oddbridge will NOT be offered on school holidays.
Accessibility/Accommodations
Oddfellows Playhouse endeavors to create an inclusive and welcoming environment for students of all abilities. Parents should provide complete information on the registration form and will be contacted by a member of our staff to discuss reasonable and respectful accommodations.
Siblings/Guests
In order to provide a safe environment for your child, we ask that siblings and guests not accompany students into class.
Photography/Videography
Oddfellows Playhouse reserves the right to use photos and videos taken in class for promotional and archival purposes only.
Release Agreement
By registering your student you agree to the following: Although every effort is made to provide a safe environment, I recognize there is always a risk of accident. By submitting a registration, I agree to be responsible for any medical bills incurred resulting from illness or injury during my student’s participation at Oddfellows Playhouse. Students are expected to carry their own accident and medical insurance. I release Oddfellows Playhouse from any and all liability and/or claims or damages arising out of personal injury of any kind. If necessary, I authorize Oddfellows Playhouse to administer first aid and/or authorize medical treatment for my student.
