It’s All About the Kids!
The Admiral Theatre is celebrating 83 years as one of the Northwest’s premier entertainment and events venues. First as an art deco movie palace, and now as a world-class nonprofit performing arts center, the Admiral Theatre is a community-owned treasure. For decades, we have welcomed extraordinary live performances including concerts, stage plays and broadway musicals, standup comedy, and educational shows for adults and children alike. An estimated half a million local school children have enjoyed free and low cost live performing arts, workshops, camps and films as part of our Youth Arts Education programs.
We’re still in the first few months of 2025 and already seeing success on and off stage with the help of community partners. For the first time this month, the Admiral Theatre produced a full theatrical stage production for children. Admiral Theatre Producing Artistic Director Richard Padro led a stage production of the popular children’s book, “Miss Nelson Is Missing,” by Harry G. Allard Jr. (author) and James Marshall (illustrator). While we have a long history of presenting the best nationally-touring productions of popular and educational children’s shows with our Stages For All Ages: School Day Series, this production marked the first time we have produced a professional theatrical stage production in-house with local actors, technical crew, set construction, and sound and lighting design.
This launch marks the beginning of a new program where the Admiral Theatre will establish a company of local performers as well as professional and amateur technical crew to present live theatre shows on our stage and in local schools. For many students, this may be their first experience watching a live play—a powerful moment in their education and personal growth.
To make this possible, we are raising $25,000 to support the production of additional stage productions of well-known children’s literary and theatrical works. Our ongoing goal is to offer high-quality, locally-produced, live educational performances to local school children. Your support also ensures that the Admiral Theatre continues to provide a well-equipped, maintained venue for world-class events and community performances.
We hope you will consider making a donation to assist the production of 2-3 shows in our 2025-2026 Stages For All Ages: School Day Series - and we give you our solemn promise to continue to be responsible stewards of this historic community-owned facility. In addition to producing children’s theatre, we will also continue to invest in the next generation of local actors and citizens with our Summer Camp musical theatre day camp, and acting lessons for all ages as budget permits. The Admiral Theatre Foundation is a tax-exempt performing arts organization, recognized under Internal Revenue Code Section 501(c)(3). All gifts to the foundation are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. Thank you in advance for your generosity.
Brian Johnson
Admiral Theatre Foundation
Executive Director