named programs · 3 · from sources
What they call their work
CINCO
Bilingual touring performance for PreK–2nd grade students, including those with disabilities, that uses puppetry, live music, and sensory elements to teach about the five senses.
Literature at Play®
Signature residency program where teaching artists guide students in adapting a children's book into an original musical through theater and songwriting exercises, aligned with New York State Learning Standards.
Trauma-Informed Toolkit for Educators
Professional development course training educators to be trauma-informed, supporting students with diverse emotional and behavioral needs through adapted arts education.
activities · 6 groups
What they do
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Comprehensive K–12 Arts Education 1 activity
- Delivering arts-in-education programs in NYC schools and community centersOperates comprehensive education programs in 100 New York City schools and community centers annually, reaching over 20,000 children across all five boroughs. Programs include in-person and virtual residencies, workshops, and field trips that integrate theater, songwriting, and literary exploration to support literacy, social-emotional learning, and inclusion for multilingual learners and students with disabilities.
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Performing Arts Ticket Access Programs 1 activity
- Facilitating school field trips and group ticket accessOffers field trip opportunities to mainstage productions for schools and provides discounted group tickets for parties of 10 or more, increasing access to live theater experiences for children and families. Also offers gift certificates for theater attendance.
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Creative Arts Therapy Programs 1 activity
- Offering trauma-informed arts education and professional developmentProvides trauma-informed arts education programming to youth in transitional housing and shelters through long-term residencies and summer camps, staffed by teaching artists trained in trauma-informed pedagogy and universal design. Also offers a 9-module Trauma-Informed Toolkit and workshops for educators, available in both asynchronous online and in-person/virtual interactive formats.
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Youth Theater Arts Education 1 activity
- Producing original theatrical works for children and familiesCreates and produces professional, original theater productions for young audiences, including interactive, bilingual, and multi-sensory shows that tour across New York City’s five boroughs. The organization commissions more new works for family audiences than any other in NYC and produces four new shows annually, such as "Pinocchio," "This is Sadie," and "The Pocket Park Kids," often integrating themes of literacy, emotional development, and social awareness.
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Anti-Bullying Education and Prevention Programs 1 activity
- Providing anti-bullying and social-emotional learning workshopsDelivers interactive, 45-minute anti-bullying drama workshops to students in grades 1–5 through touring productions such as "Avery’s Story" and "Fair and Square," using scripted performance, role-playing, and guided discussion. Serves 30 students per session, with both in-person and virtual (synchronous and asynchronous) formats available for schools and community groups.
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Uncategorized 1 activity
- Expanding access through inclusive and bilingual programmingImplements adaptations across all education and performance programs to support multilingual learners and students with disabilities, including bilingual (Spanish/English) productions such as "FIVE and CINCO NYC" and "¡Corre, Abuelita, Run!" that celebrate cultural traditions and linguistic diversity. Offers virtual, synchronized, and asynchronous program options to ensure broad accessibility.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$1.65M
Contributions & grants$1.32M80%
Program service revenue$284K17%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$45K
expenses
Total expenses$1.65M
Program expenses72%
Admin / overhead19%
Fundraising9%
Salaries & benefits$1.23M
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$328K
Cash$32K
Investments$0
Liabilities$166K
Net assets$162K
Liquid reserves0.2 mo
6 years on record · 2019–2024 · YoY revenue -21.7%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 1
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cathy Hung | Executive Dir. | 40 | $140K |
board members · 13
- Anika Larsen — Director
- Asad Khan — Director
- Barbara Zinn Krieger — Director
- Erin Eisenberg Blaz — Director
- Hope Helfenstein — Director
- Jennie Connery — Director
- Kimberly Wilson Marshall — Director
- Matthew Quint — Director
- Melanie Weinraub — Board Chair
- Melissa Hurd — Director
- Michael Schmitt — Director
- Richard Hua — Director
- Warren Kudman — Vice Chair
relationships · 19
Who they work with
- ABC7 Partner — Community Media Partner supporting NYC Children’s Theater’s 30th Anniversary season.
- Ana Cantorán Viramonte Partner — Collaborated on the adaptation of the bilingual version of FIVE.
- Andrea Palma Partner — Collaborated on the adaptation of the bilingual version of FIVE.
- Bill Bowers Partner — Collaborated with mime artist Bill Bowers on the production of The Traveler.
- Common Sense Fund Funder — Philanthropic supporter enabling access to live theater for thousands of children through financial contributions.
- Department of Education’s Division of Early Childhood Education Partner — Partnered with the Department of Education’s Division of Early Childhood Education as the sole theater arts provider in a citywide initiative.
- Department of Homeless Services Partner — Provided trauma-informed arts education programming in 36 Department of Homeless Services shelters citywide from 2017 to 2020.
- Laura Galindo Partner — Composed music for the bilingual version of FIVE, including the TASTE song.
- Mayor’s Office Partner — Collaborated with the Mayor’s Office as the sole theater arts partner in a partnership with the Department of Education’s Division of Early Childhood Education.
- NY Family Partner — Recognized by NY Family as a stage delight in their 2016-2017 Ultimate Guide to Theater and Live Performance.
- NYC Public School Partner — Provides Literature at Play residencies in NYC Public Schools, collaborating with teachers and staff to deliver programming.
- New York City Department of Education Partner — Partnered with the DOE for the Mayor’s Grant for Cultural Impact in FY20 and FY21.
- Off-Broadway Alliance Partner — Recipient of recognition from the Off-Broadway Alliance for produced shows.
- PS 19 Brooklyn Partner — Hosted the Fair and Square anti-bullying workshop for fifth-grade students.
- The Staten Island School of Civic Leadership Partner — Hosted Avery's Story workshops and expressed intent to continue collaboration.
- Time for Kids Partner — Featured the Avery’s Story workshop on its cover in October 2012.
- VOICE Charter School Partner — Hosted the Avery's Story anti-bullying workshop and provided feedback on its impact.
- Vineyard Theatre Partner — Original venue and early collaborator in productions since 1996
- Woody Guthrie Partner — Adapts and performs songs from Woody Guthrie's repertoire in educational and theatrical context for young children.
strategies · 3
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Arts-Integrated Experiential Learningmethodology: arts_integrationBy combining theater, music, and interactive drama with literacy and social-emotional learning, we develop children's academic, linguistic, and social skills because experiential engagement deepens understanding and retention. This approach integrates children's books into original musicals and uses participatory methods to teach empathy, conflict resolution, and emotional literacy.
- Differentiated, Sensory-Based Instruction for Developmental Inclusionmethodology: sensory_based_learningBy designing multi-sensory, developmentally appropriate theater experiences and differentiated lesson plans, we engage children with disabilities and multilingual learners because sensory and scaffolded modalities activate cognitive, linguistic, and emotional development where traditional instruction fails.
- Trauma-Informed, Play-Based Pedagogymethodology: trauma_informed_pedagogyBy using play, improvisation, and a trauma-informed curriculum delivered by consistent teaching artists, we create safe environments for emotional exploration and skill development because play reduces psychological barriers and rewires traumatic responses in children experiencing instability.