Civic Theatre
About
Civic's mission is to foster a love of theatre through imagination, education, and participation.
Booth Tarkington Civic Theatre is the largest of more than 70 Indiana community theatres and one of the ten largest of over 7,000 active community theatres in the United States. Civic also is considered the nation’s longest continuously operating community theatre. Founded in 1915, Booth Tarkington Civic Theatre has been a vital part of the city’s cultural landscape for a century, providing superior live theatrical entertainment for a broad-based audience.
Education has been integral to the Theatre’s operations since its inception, and Jr. Civic has officially offered the only year-round, theatre-based performing arts program in the state of Indiana since 1941. Through our workshop and on-stage offerings, Civic provides the Central Indiana community, both young and old, with opportunities to express their own creativity in a comfortable and educational environment. Students 18 months and older are introduced to a multidisciplinary curriculum aligned with academic standards to connect theatre proficiencies with life skills that promote success, such as discipline, self-confidence, commitment, and team work.
The Relaxed performance is for children and adults with developmental or cognitive disabilities, as well as their families and caretakers. We promise a judgement-free and fun experience for the entire family. All children must be accompanied by an adult.
The Guild at Civic Theatre promotes excellence in arts education. The mission of the Guild is to support Civic Theatre educational programming through service, fundraising, and community awareness. To this end, two scholarships have been created for graduating high school seniors in 2024 in the amount of $500 each.