Welcome!

We are a traveling theatre troupe, entertaining the young and the young at heart with stories pulled from history, literature and fantasy. Our performance include music, laughter and improvisation.

Each year we put out a repertoire for the season, packing our props into a trunk and quite literally taking our show on the road. We perform in front of hundreds of people each month.

But Rags to Riches is not just for watching. Oh no, if indeed that were the case, we would be lost for words.

Our shows rely on participation – we teach our audiences songs and shouts and moves and dances. You just may end up being a tree or a fish or the net that catches one.

Rags to Riches is a not-for-profit organization founded in 1993. It is the culmination of a dream and we value the support offered by the community.




Why We Don’t Use Microphones

Rags To Riches theatre for young audiences does not use electronic supplementation in performance because Theatre is supposed to be a live, spoken word, acoustic art form. In this day and age, adults use microphones and amplifiers to shout over the noise that young people make.

Theatre is supposed to be one of the ways that we are taught to listen and it is to that end that we strive. There is a certain immeasurable something that happens when a whole group of people in an audience are listening to actors who know how to resonate on a stage. The shared resonation between actor and audience is of primal importance. We are certain that it is an important something that we are not allowing our young people to experience.

If you are coming to a Rags To Riches performance or we are coming to your facility, please prepare any young people by telling them that this will be an experience in which they will be asked to participate. Participation will include any of the environmental cues that the audience will be taught prior to the show. Also included in this process is listening in those times that we are not actively participating. We hope to share the acoustic, live performance with our audience. We refuse to shout it at them through an amplified system.


Upcoming Shows & Events


People are Talking

You performed at Morehead this past week—I didn’t see it, but Lena reported that it was great!  She was singing various songs about Stone Soup all evening.  She also noted that in all your plays, she really likes the travelling music.

I’m pretty sure you all are magic, the way you keep kids’ attention and worm your stories into their malleable little brains!

Laura, parent of audience member



Myself and my two young children saw your performance of The Frog Prince this past Wed. at the Rowan Public Library. I just wanted to pass along something that my four year old son had to say about your show….“I guess if I had to marry a frog,I would want a funny one like that one we saw today…” We had such a wonderful time at your show and hope to be able to see you again very soon. Thanks for the laughs!!!

Crystal Love




“The Owl and the Turtle”

The Owl and the TurtleGet your copy of Lou Peters’ book, “The Owl and the Turtle” here, from Lulu.com.

 

 


Rags to Riches in the News

News PosterIt is always an honor when our performances are featured in local news publications.

 

 

Take a look: