The Seattle Children’s Theatre has entertained, educated, and illuminated young viewers’ minds for five decades, and its 50th season is kicking off to a beautiful, fresh start. The theater’s home in Seattle Center underwent a $4.7 million renovation that gave the lobby, auditoriums, and flex spaces a cosmetic facelift and made structural changes to enhance the theater-going experience for all visitors.
“There’s a difference between access, inclusion, and people feeling like they belong,” said Cessalee Smith-Stovall, SCT’s Deputy Managing Director. “We are trying to ensure that there are no barriers to entry in our building and in our programming. And yet, that is not the completion of the work. Inclusion means you come here. If you love a show, you clap, you cry. If you have thoughts or feedback, you can tell us that, too. Imagining where the thoughts and the dreams can go; we hope it extends beyond here and really invests back into the good humans of Seattle.”
Provided by SCT
“50 Years of Good Humans”
That is precisely the theme of SCT’s semicentennial season: “50 Years of Good Humans”. In 1975, Seattle Children’s Theatre was born from passionate volunteers and funded by the Woodland Park Children’s Zoo and the City of Seattle’s fundraising arm. Many of those early productions shared their performing space with wild animals and dance troupes, turning SCT’s self-professed “bare-bones operation” into a “labor of love” that was highly regarded among Seattle families.
When City funding dried up in 1983, SCT turned to private and corporate sponsorship. Linda Hartzell became the artistic director the following year, growing SCT into the second-largest professional children’s theater in the United States. In 1993, SCT found a permanent home at Charlotte Martin Theatre, followed by the addition of the adjacent venue, Eve Alvord Theatre, in 1995.
In its 50 years of providing child-friendly entertainment, SCT has produced nearly 300 plays and entertained over four million children. However, as the COVID-19 pandemic halted most live performances across the nation, SCT used the time to iron out the thoughtful, ambitious, and bold changes it knew were on the horizon.
Provided by SCT
Seattle Children’s Theatre Renovation: Big changes for little visitors
The Seattle Children’s Theatre renovation was not a bulldozer to the space but a conscientious reimagining of what would best serve the organization, its patrons, and the smallest footprints passing through their threshold. No detail was too insignificant to find its way on the remodel list. For example, the doors to the Eve Alvord Theatre were changed so that they now open in a way that allows for better access for those with mobility restraints and the SCT crew, who were once limited to set pieces that could physically fit through the doors. New carpet was installed throughout the building, replacing the old dark green with a custom-made design that has more purpose than just being soft underfoot.
“It takes the topography of the Pacific Northwest,” Smith-Stovall said. “The green are the rivers. The yellow is a nod to the star motif that we’ve had for most of our background. And the hot pink is our signature color.”
Building on the rivers, stars, and PNW topography theme, SCT commissioned artist Juliana Kang Robinson to create a stunning mural called HanSan River of Stars (Korean for “One Mountain”) that greets visitors at the entrance. The mountain comprises jutting aqua, teal, and pink jagged edges, while the stairs, hand-painted with gold leaf, draw the eye up to floating stars that swirl above.
According to Smith-Stovall, the idea is that “your dreams can start on the ground and go up to the stars.” This theme is continued in the two added ceiling oculi depicting stars in the night sky placed outside both theaters, superficial additions adding charm and cohesiveness to the idea that “dreams and imagination can continue through.”
The biggest physical remodel is in the lobby. The architects overseeing the project, ORA, removed five non-functional columns to open up the meeting space often used before shows for the gift shops and concessions, kids’ activities, and general visitor flex space. The staircase was also moved to allow for more continuous square footage and, hopefully, fewer traffic jams.
Provided by SCT
Seattle Children’s Theatre Renovation: Accessibility and inclusion at all costs
SCT always puts on a good show, but perhaps its greatest feat is its focus on accessibility and inclusion. SCT and its caring staff go above and beyond to create a safe, convenient, open environment. Every production offers several performances to accommodate families with special requirements. The sensory-sensitive performance incorporates special modifications for those with sensory needs. The ASL-interpreted performance aims to serve the deaf and hard-of-hearing community. There is also an access performance that incorporates both of the abovementioned needs plus offering audio description on demand.
In Charlotte Martin Theatre, where there were once only two individual-sized access areas, they’ve added an accessibility row that could fit up to six seats meant for wheelchairs and companions. Handrails were added along the aisles, a detail that is hard to believe hadn’t existed before this summer. Two new family restrooms upstairs were added, for a total of three. A new wellness room on the second floor is also designed for breastfeeding mothers and adult change access. Televisions have been installed in lobby areas so parents managing big feelings in the hallways don’t miss any of the performance.
“It feels like such a little thing,” Smith-Stovall said. “But for the intergenerational families who want to come and enjoy theater together, it’s going to make a big difference.”
SCT presents “Havana Hop”
Coming soon to SCT
The Seattle Children’s Theatre renovation hosts more staging areas, bigger entryways, and thoughtfully designed doorways. But as always, the art speaks for itself, and this season at SCT is shaping up to be its most diverse (and experimental) one yet. The season opened on September 26 with “Cat Kid Comic Club: The Musical,” created by the team that brought us last year’s “Dog Man: The Musical” and based on the wildly popular series by Dav Pilkey.
“Havana Hop,” described as a “one-woman dance party tour de force,” fuses salsa dancing and Cuban heritage to create a multi-cultural feast for the eyes and ears. Both “SCT’s The Snow Queen” and “Aesop’s Fantastic Family Fables” are based on timeless classics. “The Hula Hoopin’ Queen” is set in Harlem and tells a community-centric, slice-of-life story. The last show of the season, “The Pa’akai We Bring,” is a native Hawaiian story told by the Honolulu Theatre for Youth.
New this year, in partnership with the From-Home Fest, “The Girl Who Swallowed a Cactus” is SCT’s first digital production since 2022. Patrons can purchase a ticket and avoid traffic by watching the performance live on Zoom from the comfort of their homes.
Just like the visual imagery and interpretation of dreams and imagination that adorn SCT’s walls, the sky is the limit for visitors hoping to find a safe space where their needs, hopes, and wishes are seen and heard. Here’s hoping for 50 more years of delightful children’s programming in the Emerald City.
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