Asheville Creative Arts
Live performances
Asheville Creative Arts offers high-quality Theatre Performances (Pre-K through 5th Grade), and engaging Visual Art & Theatre Workshops. Through storytelling, puppetry, and hands-on creative experiences, our teaching artists inspire imagination, self-expression, and meaningful learning.
RESIDENCY OFFERING: THEATRE PERFORMANCES
Asheville Creative Arts offers theater and puppet performances adaptable to both classrooms and auditoriums. These shows are available year-round for children from preschool through 5th grade.
Designed in collaboration with a licensed early childhood specialist and aligned with NCSCOS, each performance is approximately 30 minutes, presented live, and available in English or Spanish. Optional post-show workshops support literacy, community building, arts and crafts, fine motor skills, writing, and other creative media. All performances are sensory-friendly, with intentional accommodations to support neurodivergent audiences. Ideal for in-class and after-school arts enrichment programs.
Students Impacted:
Designed for classes of 18–30 students, with flexibility to serve multiple classes or grade levels in a single day.
Artist Contact Hours: 1 day for 1 hour
Program Goals:
Students will…
Engage with live theater and puppetry as tools for storytelling and creative expression.
Strengthen literacy, communication, and critical-thinking skills through interactive performances.
Develop empathy, social-emotional awareness, and appreciation for diverse perspectives.
Explore creativity through discussion and hands-on arts activities.
Participate in inclusive, sensory-friendly arts experiences that support diverse learners.
Theatre Performances at Your School:
PETIT MONDRIAN (Preschool & K)
Premiered at La MaMa Theatre in NYC in 2024, PETIT MONDRIAN continues ACA’s expansion into Theatre for the Very Young (birth–5). This immersive 30-minute multimedia experience blends dance-theater, object theater, interactive video animation, and Bunraku-style puppetry. Inspired by the bold shapes and colors of modernist painter Piet Mondrian, the performance invites children to explore art through movement, imagination, and sensory-rich visuals. The show concludes with 10 minutes of free play, allowing young audiences to explore the space and artistic elements independently. The production is fully self-contained, providing its own lights, speakers, and projector. Minimum space required: 20’ x 20’, with the ability to slightly dim the room.
SLUG + SNAIL (K–2nd Grade)
SLUG + SNAIL is a delightful 25-minute puppet performance following a Snail and a Slug as they weather a powerful storm—experiencing moments both scary and funny—ultimately forming a deep friendship. Themes include community, resilience, and care for one another.
The performance is interactive and concludes with a guided discussion about community helpers who support rebuilding after challenges. A post-show puppet–making activity is available upon request.
BUILDERS (K–5th Grade)
ACA’s latest production, BUILDERS is a joyful, interactive puppet show that invites children to imagine a world that is fair, welcoming, and sustainable for all. Through vibrant characters and playful storytelling, young audiences explore big questions: What if everyone felt included? What if every voice mattered? What if kindness and respect were the rules? More than a performance, BUILDERS is a celebration of hope, imagination, and the power each child holds to shape their community.