Polka Theatre facts for kids
Polka Theatre
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| Address | The Broadway, Wimbledon |
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| Location | London, SW19 |
| Public transit |    Wimbledon |
| Type | Theatre |
| Genre(s) | Children's theatre |
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| Website | |
| http://www.polkatheatre.com | |
Polka Theatre is a special theatre in Wimbledon, London Borough of Merton, made just for children aged 0 to 13. It has two main stages: a big one with 300 seats and a smaller studio with 70 seats. The studio is perfect for very young children.
This theatre creates its own plays and also sends them on tours around the country and even to other countries. The building has lots of cool stuff! There's a studio for learning, a garden, an outdoor playground, an indoor play area, places to see exhibits, and a cafe.
Polka Theatre is a charity, which means it's a non-profit organization. It gets money from places like Arts Council England and the London Borough of Merton, plus other groups and people who want to support children's theatre.
Contents
Polka Theatre's Story
Polka Theatre began as a puppet touring company in 1967. It was led by Richard Gill, who was the Artistic Director. The theatre building itself, which used to be the Holy Trinity Halls in Wimbledon, opened on November 20, 1979.
It was the first theatre in the UK made only for children. The opening was a big event, with Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother attending a special show.
By 1983, Polka was regularly putting on shows especially for children under five in its studio space. This studio was known as the Adventure Theatre. The Adventure Theatre hosts plays made by Polka and also shows from other theatre groups from the UK and around the world.
In recent years, Polka has created special shows for babies and toddlers, starting from 6 months old.
Helping Kids See Theatre
In 1994, Polka Theatre won the Vivien Duffield Theatre Award. This award helped them start a program called Curtain-Up!. This program gives free theatre tickets to schools where students might not usually get to see a play.
It helps children who face money problems or other difficulties. The program also helps cover travel costs and offers a free drama workshop after the show. This helps kids learn even more from their theatre visit.
Recent Changes and Reopening
The theatre building closed for a big renovation on February 18, 2019. The building work started in March 2019. It was planned to reopen in Summer 2020, but the reopening was delayed because of the pandemic.
The first show after the reopening was Cinderella: the AWESOME Truth, which was scheduled for November 2021.
Who Leads Polka Theatre?
The Artistic Director is like the main creative leader of the theatre. They decide which plays to put on and guide the artistic vision.
The current Artistic Director is Peter Glanville. He started in August 2013. Before joining Polka, he was the Artistic Director and Chief Executive of Little Angel Theatre in Islington.
Here is a list of the Artistic Directors who have led Polka Theatre:
- 1967-1988 Richard Gill
- 1988-2002 Vicky Ireland
- 2002-2007 Annie Wood
- 2007-2013 Jonathan Lloyd
- 2013-present Peter Glanville
Awards and Recognition
Polka Theatre has won several awards for its amazing work in children's theatre. These awards show how much their plays and programs are appreciated.
- 2014 Eleanor Farjeon Award winner
- 2015 Best Production for Young People (under 8 years) for Peter Pan, Winner
Images for kids
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Polka Theatre Auditorium
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Polka Theatre Exhibition Area
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Polka Theatre Playground
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Polka Theatre Toyshop
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Polka Theatre Annex
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Teddy Bear Collection, Polka Theatre
