Howdy y'all! Whew, we are still recovering from a busy and exciting summer at the theatre, but we couldn't wait to share one of our favorite highlights from the past few months: our collaboration with the incredible local nonprofit, ATX Kids Club!

ATX Kids Club provides educational Field Trip Adventures that focus on building confidence, independence, and resiliency. Their camps, whether week-long or a school holiday day trip, take children all over Austin to experience learning outside their usual neighborhoods and environments. Founder Tammy Miller is a long-time fan of the Follies and an incredible leader in the Austin community of nonprofits. When she invited us to work with the campers, cast members Shaun Branigan, Ellana Breedlove, and Ted Meredith jumped at the chance to create a full afternoon of theatre fun!

In true Esther’s fashion, Shaun, Ted, and Ellana wrote and rehearsed a brand-new show in-house, and within a few short weeks, we were ready to hit the stage. The resulting musical perfectly balances Texas state educational standards with plenty of classic Follies foolery.

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“Where in the World is Wanda?!” is an adventure-packed story of a boy and his puppet friend, Wanda, scouring the globe and meeting exotic friends along the way. Original songs in a variety of styles weave through their journey, all set against a dynamic slideshow backdrop featuring an interactive map! After the performance, the campers even got to test their newfound knowledge in a lively trivia game hosted by the characters from the show.

We are so incredibly proud to support the mission of ATX Kids Club. They are doing vital work in our community by giving children the opportunity to explore Austin, build independence, and learn outside the traditional classroom setting. If you are a parent looking for enriching, hands-on camps or field trips for your kids, or if you simply want to support an amazing local organization, we highly encourage you to check out their programs and get involved! Please see their website for more information, www.atxkidsclub.org and pass along to family and friends that have young people that might enjoy exploring where they live in a new way. 

Bring Wanda to Your School! The best part of this summer collaboration? Where in the World is Wanda?! is fully staged and ready to hit the road! If you know a teacher, principal, PTA member, or school administrator who would love to bring a wildly fun, educational, and interactive musical to their campus, please send them our way! We are currently booking performances for the upcoming school year. Help us spread the word so we can bring a little bit of Esther's magic—and a whole lot of learning—to students across Central Texas.

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