Encore Stage & Studio

For over 50 years, Encore Stage & Studio has given hundreds of thousands of young people the opportunity to grow and discover themselves through theatre: onstage, backstage, in the classroom, and in the audience. We bring high-quality, age-appropriate theatrical productions that are staffed by young people to Arlington and offer a vibrant selection of educational classes, workshops and summer programs, including outreach to underserved children and youth with community partners.

Encore Stage & Studio inspires young people to develop the creativity, empathy and confidence they need to create meaningful connections with peers and have a positive impact in their communities.

We are more than just an arts education program -- we are a producing theatre company that puts the process of creating theatre into the hands of young people. Encore’s seasons include seven fully realized productions, including musicals and plays. In addition to the all-youth cast and crew, older youth take on leadership roles such as properties master, light board operator, and ultimately, stage manager. Our summer production program casts youth, as well as college students and adult community members, in a larger musical production. Notably, there is no fee to participate in a production as a cast or crew member.

In addition to our established productions that give children and youth the chance to grow onstage and off, a cultural and artistic centerpiece of our programming is our Flip the Script program which brings African-American and other often unheard voices to the stage.