Immersive Theater for Young Audiences
Our company has pioneered the interactive style which has become our namesake: “EXPERIENtial THEATER.” Audiences typically come to the theater expecting to see a play, but what they find out very quickly when they attend one of our productions is that they are there to be in a play. Without any rehearsal, audience members become participants who sing, dance, and act alongside professional performers. It is a safe environment, so everyone feels equally welcome to watch as come up and play. The focus of our company’s work comes from collaborations with partner theaters and organizations across the US, Ireland, and United Kingdom, with our most prolific partner being The Children’s Theatre of Charlotte.
If you're in the room, you're in the show!
Represented by
Robin Klinger
Entertainment, LLC
The boisterous British Panto tradition bursts onto the stage with all the fervor and clownish comic silliness you can handle. Ostentatious costumes, magical medieval effects, and spirited songs put a preposterous spin on the classic Cinderella story. Get ready to "hiss" at the wicked stepmother, "howl" at her naughty, haughty daughters, and "ooh" and "coo" as our hopeful heroine undergoes a magical transformation. We're all guaranteed to have a ball! After all, how else will our Cinderella meet her prince?
Developed over seventeen years and forged in thousands of live performances, this book distills the craft of experiential theater. It began in the classroom as a series of theater-in-education workshops that reinvented how young people connect with the stage. Now, after years of refinement and discovery, it offers a clear starting point for anyone ready to explore and apply experiential theater in classrooms or professional theatrical productions.
SHALL WE LIVE THIS TALE TOGETHER?
Experiential Theater
in the
Classroom and On Stage
Developed with the fine folks at Tricycle Theatre for Youth, a whole new interactive experience. Part board game, part play practice, players take turns creating characters, acting out scenes, writing new lines, and rehearsing silly songs and dances. Everyone gets a chance to participate in this game where everyone who plays wins together.
CHRISTOPHER PARKS
WRITER - PRODUCER - ACTOR - DIRECTOR
JOURNEY TO OZ
GRIMMZ HIP HOP FAIRY TALES
INVISIBLE BOY
SUNJATA KAMALENYA
[read more]
Christopher Parks is a theater playwright who has been writing for young audiences for 25 years. His plays have been seen on stages around the United States, in Ireland, and the United Kingdom at more than sixty performing arts centers and regional theaters. Christopher created the style of theater known as Experiential Theater in 2007, which is a style of immersive performance where the audience comes to the theater thinking they are there to see a show, but then they find out very quickly they are there to be in the show, acting, singing, and dancing alongside the professional actors, everyone together telling the story. Some of his plays include The Odyssey Experience, Sunjata Kamalenya (based on the West African Legend), The Invisible Boy (based on Trudy Ludwig's award-winning picture book), Grimmz Hip Hop Fairy Tales, Aesop's Fables, and Journey to Oz. Christopher is also a prolific Shakespearean director, lyricist, and board game designer/developer. Prior to his current tenure as the Artistic Director of the Experiential Theater Company, Christopher spent 15 years as the Director of Education at the McCarter Theater Center.
BALLA KOUYATÉ
COMPOSER - DJELI - MUSICIAN
SUNJATA KAMALENYA
[read more]
Balla Kouyaté’s lineage goes back more than 800 years to Balla Faséké, the first of an unbroken line of djelis in the Kouyaté clan. He is a virtuoso player of the balafon (the West African antecedent of the xylophone) and is featured on more than 25 albums, including Yo-Yo Ma’s Songs of Joy and Peace and Sing Me Home. He also regularly plays with world-renowned West African musicians touring the States. In 2004, Kouyaté joined NEA National Heritage Fellow Sidiki Conde for a month-long residency at Carnegie Hall. Recent awards include a 2010 Mass Cultural Council Fellowship in the Traditional Arts, a 2014 Mass Cultural Council Traditional Arts Apprenticeship awarded to Kouyaté and his son Sekou, and a 2015 Brother Thomas Fellowship awarded by the Boston Foundation. He is a frequent visiting lecturer/performer at colleges and museums throughout the United States. He is on the faculty at the New England Conservatory.
NAJA SELBY-MORTON
ACTOR - DIRECTOR
JOURNEY TO OZ
GRIMMZ HIP HOP FAIRY TALES
SUNJATA KAMALENYA
[read more]
Naja Selby-Morton is an actor, teaching artist, and writer hailing from New Jersey. Past productions include: the world premiere of THE OTHER AMERICAN (NJ Rep), CLYBOURNE PARK (Shadowland Stages, NY) PIRIRA (Luna Stage, NJ), ELECTRA (off-Broadway, NYC), and ‘DA KINK IN MY HAIR (National Black Theater Festival, Winston-Salem). She’s a company member of Jersey-based Experiential Theater Company, appearing in their touring children’s theater productions of SUNJATA KAMALENYA (August Wilson Cultural Center, Pittsburgh) and JOURNEY TO OZ (Starlight Theatre, Kansas City) to name a few. She’s taught acting and public speaking at The Institute of Music for Children, a non-profit arts education program in NJ and participated in theater workshops at Otisville Correctional Facility in NY over the years. She has helped to devise and develop new ensemble works and her original poetry has been showcased throughout the NY/NJ area, from the renowned Nuyorican Poets Cafe to Crossroads Theater. She is an alum of New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts.
KOFI OSEI WILLIAMS
MUSICIAN - MUSIC PRODUCER
GRIMMZ HIP HOP FAIRY TALES
SUNJATA KAMALENYA
[read more]
Kofi Osei Williams is the Chief Executive Officer of the Asase Yaa Entertainment Group, LLC, where he also oversees the creative and business direction of the affiliated Asase Yaa African-American Dance Theatre, Asase Yaa School of the Arts, Asase Yaa Children’s Arts Camp and the non-profit Asase Yaa Cultural Arts Foundation. Kofi also co-founded, produced and directed an African dance & drum concert series, “Djembe in the New Millennium.” This is in addition to Kofi’s annual month-long continued studies in Ghana, drumming for programs and workshops given by the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, and adjunct musician duties at Medgar Evers College. He wrote the play, The HBCU Show, which teaches the value of historical black colleges and the culture behind them. Asase Yaa’s primary goal in producing their various theater productions is to create richly impactful learning experiences beyond books that their students can contribute to and share face to face (or first hand).
JOSH TOTORA
MUSICIAN - COMPOSER - ACTOR
JOURNEY TO OZ
INVISIBLE BOY
ODYSSEY EXPERIENCE
[read more]
Josh Totora is an actor, musician, and composer based out of the Philadelphia/NYC area. He has performed with theaters all over the region including the Walnut Street Theater, Arden Theatre Co., the Wilma Theater, Delaware Theatre Co., and Pig Iron Theatre Co. among many others. He is a Barrymore Award nominee for "Outstanding Supporting Actor (Musical)" in Sleeping Beauty: A Musical Panto at People's Light, and a Barrymore Award winner for "Outstanding Ensemble in a Musical" in Man of La Mancha at Delaware Theatre Company. Josh keeps his craft sharp through continued training at The Barrow Group in NYC and while training with Magnet Theater became a founding member of indy long-form improv Team NO DUDS. His musical compositions have been featured in productions all over the country with Experiential Theater Co; Florida Rep in Fort Myers, FL; Trike Theater in Bentonville, AR; and the Children's Theatre of Charlotte. A world premiere of his musical The Invisible Boy was presented in conjunction with The Kindness Project at the Children's Theatre of Charlotte. He is a Barrymore Award winner for "Outstanding Original Music" for his score of He Who Gets Slapped at Philadelphia Artists' Collective. Josh has also toured his work internationally across Ireland, including the Baboró International Arts Festival.
RAHSHEEM SHABAZZ
WRITER - DIRECTOR - CHOREOGRAPHER - ACTOR
JOURNEY TO OZ
GRIMMZ HIP HOP FAIRY TALES
SUNJATA KAMALENYA
[read more]
Rahsheem is an actor, dancer, choreographer, director who has been a part of the Experiential team since 2019. Previous acting roles include Cowardly Lion in Journey to Oz, Jace’s Dad in Liars, Dr. Bird in Bob Marley's Three Little Birds, King Julian in Madagascar: A Musical Adventure, Sunjata in Sunjata Kamalenya, CJ in Last Stop in Market Street, Eddie in In This Corner: Cassius Clay. He has appeared on CBS’s Under The Dome, various national commercials, in numerous productions at the Actor's Theatre of Charlotte and Children’s Theatre of Charlotte, and was a Charlotte Hornets hip hop dancer with the Hive Hip Hop Crew for three seasons. Rahsheem is currently developing Once Upon a Rhyme: GRIMMZ Hip Hop Fairy Tales II and choreographing at the Children’s Theatre of Charlotte.
RON LEE McGILL
WRITER - MUSIC PRODUCER - ACTOR
GRIMMZ HIP HOP FAIRY TALES
SUNJATA KAMALENYA
[read more]
Ron is an actor, Writer, Musician, Comic, and Graphic Artist born and raised in Durham, NC. Ron is a graduate of hillside high school's theatre program with Mr. Wendell Tabb and earned his BA in Media Studies and Production at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Ron stage and television credits include Meals on Wheels, Grey's Anatomy, Fatal Attraction, and GRIMMZ Hip Hop Fairy Tales (currently touring nationally).
OCTAVIA HALL
SINGER - ACTOR
GRIMMZ HIP HOP FAIRY TALES
[read more]
Octavia Hall is a native of Anderson, South Carolina, whose life is a beautiful blend of music, teaching, and family. A graduate of Anderson University with a Bachelor of Music Degree in Music and Vocal Performance, Octavia's talent shone brightly through numerous awards from vocal competitions like NATS and the Metropolitan Opera. Octavia's passion for singing has taken her across the globe, performing in France, India, Peru, and various states in the U.S., with a continued desire to spread love through her music. Not just a performer, Octavia is also a dedicated teacher, mother, and wife. She earned her Master’s Degree in Special Education with a concentration in Behavior Analysis and is working towards becoming a Behavior Analyst. Since becoming a mother, Octavia has found joy in returning to local performances and is open to touring again. Her love for music and teaching, coupled with her strong faith, keeps her grateful for every opportunity she has received and looks forward to in the future.
RENEÉ WELSH-NOEL
CHOREOGRAPHER - ACTOR
THE INVISIBLE BOY
GRIMMZ HIP HOP FAIRY TALES
SUNJATA KAMALENYA
[read more]
Reneé is a performer and choreographer based in Charlotte, NC. With a BA in Dance from UNC Charlotte, she teaches ballet and Broadway dance styles with the School of Theatre Training at Children’s Theatre of Charlotte and is the choreographer for the theatre department at East Mecklenburg High School. Most recently she choreographed their production of Rent. This year, she made her Central Piedmont Community College Summer Theatre debut in Show Boat and Jekyll and Hyde and her Children’s Theatre of Charlotte debut in their production of Peter Pan (Peter Pan). Renee has also made appearances on the Actor’s Theatre of Charlotte stage in American Idiot (Libby), Stick Fly (Cheryl), Passing Strange (Edwina/Mariana/Sudabey) and The Great American Trailer Park Christmas Musical (Linoleum).
LYDIA WILLIAMSON
ACTOR
JOURNEY TO OZ
GRIMMZ HIP HOP FAIRY TALES
[read more]
Lydia Danielle is an actor, voice-over artist, spoken word performer, and teaching artist with a decade of experience. A dynamic and multifaceted storyteller, she thrives both on stage and behind the mic. Lydia recently completed a one-woman show, where she explored rich character work, deepening her passion for bringing stories to life. Whether performing, voicing characters, or crafting custom herbal blends and signature body sprays, she believes creativity should be felt, heard, and experienced in every form.
CALEB SIGMON
ACTOR
JOURNEY TO OZ
[read more]
Caleb is the owner of Sigmon Theatrical, an entertainment company dedicated to creating touring productions and immersive events. As an actor, credits include Peter Pan (Captain Hook), Mary Poppins (Bert), Matilda the Musical (Mr. Wormwood), Cyrano de Bergerac (Cyrano), To Kill A Mockingbird (Robert Ewell), Journey to Oz (Scarecrow), Alice in Wonderland (The Mad Hatter), and Dr. Seuss’ The Cat in the Hat (Cat). Caleb is a member of the Society of American Fight Directors and A.R.C.H. (Artists Reaching Children in the Hospital). He has worked as a Guest Artist with UNC School of the Arts and currently tours his one-man illusion show across the Nation. www.calebsigmon.com
ADAM BURKE
DIRECTOR
THE INVISIBLE BOY
[read more]
Adam Burke is in his twelfth season as the Artistic Director at Children's Theatre of Charlotte, where he gets to come every day and do what he loves. Prior to this role, Adam was the artistic director of the Scioto Society, which produces the outdoor drama Tecumseh. Before that, Adam was the artistic director of the Chicago Theatre for Young Audiences, an artistic associate at Childsplay Theatre in Tempe, Arizona under the Theatre Communication Group's New Generations fellowship program and the director of theatre programs at the Jewish Community Center in San Antonio, Texas. While at Children's Theatre of Charlotte, Adam has directed Miracle on 34th Street, The Reluctant Dragon, Shrek the Musical, The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, The Magic Kite, Roald Dahl's Matilda the Musical, School of Rock, The Invisible Boy, and Ella's Big Chance: A Jazz Age Cinderella.
EXPERIENTIAL THEATER COMPANY
The focus of the company’s work comes from collaborations with partner theaters and organizations across the US, Ireland, and United Kingdom. Since 2013 Experiential Theater Company has reached hundreds of thousands of children and family audiences by touring our theater productions and/or collaborating on new work with companies such as Trike Theatre; Babaró International Children’s Theater Festival, Galway; Florida Repertory Theatre; Rose Bruford College, London; Long Island Children’s Museum; Young Audiences NJEPA; Lime Tree Theatre, Limerick; Roscommon Arts Center; Alaska Junior Theatre; Children’s Theatre of Charlotte; Symphony Space, NYC; Segerstrom Center for the Arts; San Angelo PAC; Cleveland Playhouse; Pittsburgh Children’s Festival; Walton Arts Center; and Clark PAC.
Experiential Theatre Company has been selected three times to showcase at the prestigious International Performing Arts for Youth conference. Past and current productions include The Odyssey Experience, Sunjata Kamalenya, GRIMMZ Hip Hop Fairy Tales, The Invisible Boy, The Adventures of Perseus, Aesop’s Fables, and Journey to Oz. With the upcoming release of our guidebook, “Shall We Live This Tale Together: Experiential Theater in the Classroom and On Stage,” our hope is to advance the movement for further development and possibilities across the industry. Other exciting upcoming releases include the Make-A-Play Series of board games, which put you, your family, or your classroom right in midst of your own experiential story, as well as the Play and Read Series of Children's Books designed to encourage children to celebrate nighttime story time as active participants with their adult story guide.
