Grove School’s Children’s Theatre Troupe

Grove School’s Children’s Theatre Troupe is celebrating a remarkable milestone—10 years of bringing joy, laughter, and learning to elementary school students throughout Connecticut. This month, the troupe will perform “Fractured Fairytales” four times, including a special requested field trip performance for Deep River Elementary School’s First Grade, showcasing the enduring success of Theatre Director Emily Webster’s innovative vision.

What began as an ambitious idea has evolved into a cornerstone academic course at Grove School, representing a unique convergence of education, entertainment, creativity, and community service. Students enrolled in the course take beloved children’s stories and adapt them into short plays to perform for elementary school audiences. Past productions have delighted young viewers with adaptations of “The Day the Crayons Quit” and “Knuffle Bunny,” bringing storybook characters to vibrant life on stage.

For Emily Webster, who has served as Grove’s Theatre Director since 2014, the Children’s Theatre Troupe represents one of her most cherished initiatives. Among her favorite Grove productions—which also include Peter and the Starcatcher, the original student musical “Knowing Voice,” and her beloved Shakespeare adaptations—the Children’s Theatre Troupe holds a special place for its profound therapeutic impact on student performers.

“There’s nothing more therapeutic than being able to give back and to see that you’re affecting these young children in a positive way,” Emily has said about the program. This philosophy perfectly captures why the troupe has become such an essential part of Grove’s therapeutic arts programming.

The beauty of the course lies in its complete student ownership. Grove students write the adaptations, build the sets, design the costumes, and bring the stories to life through their performances. This hands-on approach gives students an opportunity to experience the profound satisfaction of creating joy for others, with the camaraderie and confidence they gain providing therapeutic benefits that extend far beyond the stage.

Over 10 years, the troupe has performed at local preschools, libraries including performances at RJ Julia Booksellers, and numerous elementary schools throughout the region. The upcoming performance for Deep River Elementary School’s First Grade represents the kind of meaningful community connection that Emily envisioned when she first proposed the program to Grove School leadership.

As a 30-year veteran of the entertainment industry who transitioned from being a Los Angeles talent agent to dedicating her life to nurturing young artists, Emily brings a unique perspective to therapeutic theatre education. Over her decade-plus tenure at Grove, she has directed and organized over 40 productions spanning contemporary musicals like Mean Girls, Into the Woods, and A Chorus Line, classical Shakespeare adaptations, and innovative original works.

“The generosity of the students at Grove is incredible,” Emily has said of her work. “When I say ‘dig deep,’ they have so much to bring to the table.” This philosophy shapes the Children’s Theatre Troupe course, where students discover that their performances can bring genuine happiness to young children.

What makes the Children’s Theatre Troupe particularly powerful is how it transforms Grove students from recipients of therapeutic services into givers of joy and inspiration. The young elementary students in the audience see these performers as heroes bringing their favorite stories to life, never knowing the personal journeys that brought the Grove students to that stage. For the performers, this experience of being seen for their talents and abilities—rather than their struggles—can be truly transformative.

As the Children’s Theatre Troupe enters its 10th year with “Fractured Fairytales,” we celebrate not just a milestone anniversary, but Emily Webster’s vision of using theatre as a tool for transformation, healing, and community service. The program stands as a shining example of how one dedicated educator’s innovative idea can create ripples of positive impact—touching the lives of Grove students who perform, the elementary children who watch with wonder, and the entire community that benefits from this unique intersection of art and service.

Here’s to 10 more years of storybook magic, student transformation, and the continued legacy of a program that proves the most important performances are those that transform both the performers and their audiences.