Color Kids' Lives With the Arts

The mission of the Portsmouth Area Arts Council is to integrate the arts into the lives of children and families and to encourage the cultural heritage of the region.

For over 50 years, the Portsmouth Area Arts Council has been coloring your world with the arts! Our dedication to serving the youth of the community with quality live theatre and arts experiences brings joy to thousands of young people each year.

This year, PAAC has experienced some of its biggest changes since 2020. With mixed feelings PAAC said farewell to its Executive Director, Bailey Hartlage, and Children’s Theater Director, Ali Thompson. Bailey moved on to work with The Cincinnati Children’s Theater while Ali has taken up residence in Seattle, Washington to pursue her acting career in theater. We wish them the best and will miss them dearly!

Our new Executive Director, Dani Boyles, joins us with a BFA in Business Administration and Marketing from Shawnee State University. She also joins with a passion for theater and the arts dating back as a young 12 year old girl in middle school in an ensemble role of Lil’ Abner. Since then, she’s pursued theater from every angle and can now continue her dream by administrating the Portsmouth Area Arts Council.

As with any substantial change, there are hills and valleys. While the transitions between scenes may feel uncertain, they hold the promise of discovery, where every twist in the plot reveals a hidden layer of our path forward. PAAC is in the midst of its new story and discovering what else the future will hold. However, our mission and vision remain the same.

So far this year PAAC hosted a weeklong residency with Missoula Children’s Theater. In partnership with the 14^th Street Community center, MCT and children from the community put on the classic tale “Treasure Island.” We also continue our partnership with South Central Ohio Educational Service Center and its Visually Literate Program.

The Portsmouth Area Arts Council is also the parent organization for the Portsmouth Area Children's Theatre, a production company for students ages 6-18. Our ensemble of actors blurs the lines between school rivalries and socio-economic boundaries, creating a positive and welcoming environment for all involved.

This season, our Children's Theatre division will produce three musicals. We started the season with our combined company production of Disney’s Descendants. A hit Disney Channel movie musical made for the stage was full of popular songs and energetic dance numbers. Following its success, we began rehearsals for our senior company production of The Addams Family. Community members can enjoy this spooky and kooky show on January 31, February 1, and February 2, 2025. We wrap up this 2024-2025 season with our junior company production of Newsies Jr., a historical musical about the beginnings of the union movement in the United States. There are several benefits to children working with others both in and out of their age group, and this year, our students will have the opportunity to do both.

Help us continue our mission and play an essential role in our success this season by contributing to our Annual Fund! We have been fortunate enough to have received your support in the past, and your contributions are needed now more than ever!

Why Do the Arts Matter?

Participating in the arts provides young people with a chance to explore their creativity and imagination in a structured and safe environment. They gain Improved Literacy Skills. From reading scripts to memorizing lines to learning to tell a story, young people continually improve their literacy skills while rehearsing and performing in a musical. They gain Public Speaking Skills & Confidence. It takes a lot of guts to stand up and sing or dance in front of your family, peers, and what may seem like the entire community. Experience with public speaking at a young age gives students confidence that will be important to them for the rest of their lives. They learn Critical Thinking & Problem-Solving Skills. Putting on a musical is a group effort, and every member of the team must work together to make it happen. Throughout the rehearsal process, the students will learn to solve challenges as they arise. Students will learn to trust and depend on themselves and their cast mates.

Where Does My Donation Go?

The following amounts are not required giving amounts; they are just some ways your donation will be put to use at our organization. We deeply appreciate any and all gifts, and every penny we receive goes straight into benefitting our students.

• $25: Stage makeup kit for a student actor
• $75: A body suit, tights, and shoes for a student actor
• $150: Season ticket package for a family of four
• $300: Students’ scripts for a Children’s Theatre production
• $500: One scholarship for an eligible Senior Company member
• $750: Specialty props and sets for a Children’s Theatre production
• $1,000: Three professionally-led theatre workshops for local schools
• $3,000: Royalty fees for a Children’s Theatre production
• $5,000: Show week rental at SSU’s Vern Riffe Center for the Arts
• $10,000: Costumes, Set, and Props for an entire Children’s Theatre season

Your donation to our Annual Fund makes a huge and immediate impact on the youth in our area.