STUDENT THEATRE FESTIVAL: AMERICA250

In partnership with the Harriet Beecher Stowe House

For ALT’s 2026–27 Student Theatre Festival, students will explore America’s past and imagine its future through original theatre.

Designed for students in grades 8–10, with flexibility for grades 6–12.

About the Program

This year, ALT’s Student Theatre Festival is taking on America250, bringing together up to 10 Cincinnati-area schools for a theatre experience exploring America’s past, present, and future.

In partnership with the Harriet Beecher Stowe House, students will explore America’s past and use theatre to imagine what they want the next 250 years to look like.

ALT teaching artists work directly with students at their schools to turn those ideas into original plays, which they’ll ultimately perform on a professional stage at our Student Theatre Festival this spring.

How It Works

1. Teacher Training

October 2026

Participating educators begin with professional development at the Harriet Beecher Stowe House.

2. Classroom Exploration

November–December 2026

Students explore four texts through teacher-led lessons:

Declaration of Independence
Harriet Beecher Stowe’s The Emancipation of Uncle Sam
Martin Luther King Jr.’s Letter from Birmingham Jail
Amanda Gorman’s The Hill We Climb

3. Create & Rehearse at Your School

January–May 2027

ALT teaching artists come directly to your school to work with a group of up to 20 students for 20 hours of play creation and rehearsal, helping students turn their ideas into an original play. Programming is flexible and can take place before or after school.

4. Take the Stage

May 2027

It all comes together at ALT’s Student Theatre Festival, where students from participating schools across the region perform their original plays on a professional stage. Transportation support is available for participating schools that need assistance getting students to the festival.

Why Theatre?

Theatre gives students a chance to do more than learn about history. They get to question it, respond to it, collaborate with one another, and add their own voices to the conversation.

Along the way, students build skills in communication, collaboration, creative thinking, and self-expression.

“The program’s really, really nice. It’s fun. You get to make your own plays. It’s just awesome.”

— Marion, festival participant

“I love how they let us make up our own plays that we could perform to, like, express ourselves.”

— Jayla, festival participant

“It was a very fun experience. I would want to do it again.”

— Mohammad, festival participant

Is This a Fit for Your School?

Grades: Designed for grades 8–10; flexible for grades 6–12
Program dates: October 2026–May 2027
Residency location: Your school
Teaching artist residency: 20 hours
Scheduling: Flexible before- or after-school programming
Teacher professional development: October 2026 at the Harriet Beecher Stowe House
Student Theatre Festival: May 2027