At the Ridge Theatre

At the Ridge Theatre (ART) was established in 2001 to provide quality musical theatre experiences and art education to our community. ART was designed to function as a collaborative effort between educators, students, families, theatre supporters, local business and civic groups. Our primary partner is the Kent School District, which provides the use of the Kentridge Performing Arts Center for our summer program. The donated costs include a $175 per hour use fee; which covers the lights, custodian, air-conditioning, etc.; totaling approximately $73,500 per year. Teachers, counselors, and administrators from the district also recommend children from area schools who they feel would benefit from participating in our camps and performances. The goal has been to get students from across geographic and socio-economic regions of the district represented. The non-profit Kent Civic & Performing Arts Center (KCPAC) served as our mentor and sponsor for our first four years as we established our organization. Board members helped us promote our program, and attract community support, as well as an audience and volunteer base. Finally, we have received immeasurable support from local businesses, The Village Theatre, The 5th Avenue Theatre, and so many others who support our organization through their talent, services and donations.