History

AJTC was founded in 1988 as a community theatre, and in 1989 added "Curtain Call" the children/teen educational component. To date, the company has produced more than 80 main stage shows and has sent out another 100 small programs and speakers throughout the Jewish community around the state. We've been running summer theatre day camps for young people since 1989 and added children's community plays and an on-going teen improvisational troupe in 2000. We host an annual Valley-wide teen improv Festival which includes high school troupes from various high schools and organizations. We frequently provide after-school classes and winter break camps as well. AJTC is an active member of the International Association for Jewish Theatre, and Janet Arnold is a past-president of the Association.

Programs

Each year we do 3 or 4 main stage productions, all of which have a Jewish connection. The shows present a Jewish perspective, but they have universal themes that appeal to the general population as well. We produce 2 children's productions annually. We run a summer theatre day camp for 8 weeks during the summer and a winter-break camp. From 2003-08, we were part of a group of 7 arts organizations that provided after-school classes to at-risk children in the Phoenix Elementary School District (through a federal grant). We recently provided an after-school class at Pardes Jewish Day School and collaborated with Jess Schwartz College Prep on the Chanukah musical. We have an on-going teen improv troupe that meets throughout the year and they present 2 public shows. They are often invited to perform at guest venues such as public libraries and at special events such as a drug awareness program for students in West Phoenix. The teen troupe participates in our annual Improv Festival.