Arts on the Horizon's performances are designed to take place in an intimate setting where children not only feel comfortable to learn and explore, but are also an integral part of the performance. We have the utmost respect for children and want, what may be their first theatrical performance, to entertain them, challenge them, spark creativity and enhance the imaginative play in which many children this age engage.

Each education program provides targeted exploration of themes and ideas in order to help children enhance their language development, socialization, and fine and gross motor skills; all within a meaningful, nurturing environment where children can develop their sense of self and increase their knowledge and understanding of the world around them.

We strive:

• For excellence and innovation in theatre for the very young.
• To produce and present high-quality theatre for young audiences and their families at an affordable rate.
• To focus on clear and accessible storytelling.

We believe:

• The arts play an important role in the life of a child, and the results can be seen through the development of their critical thinking skills, self-confidence, and independence.
• In arts education, and our need as a society to develop and foster the creativity of children.
• That practical experience is just as important as exposure to arts in the development of a child's overall education.

We aim:

• To partner with schools in Northern Virginia, as well as local businesses and organizations in the DC metro area, in order to expose more young people to theatre.
• To provide arts training programs for young people not only in-front of the curtain, but behind the curtain as well.

Performances & Production History

Our performances are designed to take place in an intimate setting where children not only feel comfortable to learn and explore, but are also an integral part of the performance. All productions are world-premiere productions, which are non-verbal, 30 minutes in length, gently interactive and feature live music. Children sit on the floor close to the stage, so there is less of a divide between the performers and the audience.

Our first show, Drumming with Dishes, was produced in May 2011 and has since been performed on the Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage and at the Atlas Performing Arts Center, as part of the Ford’s Theatre Lincoln Legacy Project in fall 2011. It has also been selected to be a part of the national One Theatre World festival in Cleveland, OH in May 2013. Our second production, Out of the Box, premiered in March 2012 in Alexandria, VA and then transferred to the Atlas Performing Arts Center for a one-week engagement as part of their Theatre for the Very Young series. The show was remounted las fall, as part of the Kaleidoscope for Kids Festival in Alexandria, VA, and had a repeat engagement at the Atlas Performing Arts Center in November 2012. The Young Spectaculars and the Front Yard Adventure is the company’s third world premiere production, which premiered in February at the Downtown Baptist Church in Alexandria, VA.