Oddfellows Playhouse Youth Theater

09/10/2026

$15 OFF FALL CLASSES — THIS AFTERNOON ONLY!

Use promo code LABORDAY15 when you register for Fall Classes and save $15! But don’t wait too long: the code expires TONIGHT!

And the timing is pretty perfect, because Fall at Oddfellows is just days away!!!!

Afterschool Classes start NEXT MONDAY, September 14!

Saturday Classes start THIS SATURDAY, September 12!

Teen Rep auditions are THIS WEEK, September 8 & 10!

Teen Circus auditions are NEXT WEEK, September 15 & 16!

And speaking of Teen Rep and Teen Circus…

Check out this montage featuring some of our past MainStage productions! Every one of these shows started with a group of young people walking through our doors and deciding to make something together.

Now it’s time to see what we make next.

Explore Fall Classes, register, and sign up for auditions at http://oddfellows.coursestorm.com

Use code LABORDAY15 by 11:59 PM tonight to save $15!

08/18/2026

Registration is now OPEN for Fall Classes at Oddfellows Playhouse!

Our Saturday Classes begin September 12, with theater and circus programs for our youngest students, ages 15 months–8 years. This fall’s offerings include Acrobabies, Faerie Tale Theater, Circrobatics, and Circrobalance.

After-School Classes begin September 14 for ages 6–14, with a full schedule of theater and circus training including Circus I & II+, Musical Theater, Movement for Actors, Complete Actor, Intro to Shakespeare, Punches & Pratfalls, Contortion & Flexibility, and more.

Fall Classes run for 10 weeks, culminating in Share Week for family and friends, November 16 - 19.

Full schedules, class descriptions, tuition information and registration are available at oddfellows.org. Use promo code ODDFALL10 at checkout to save $10 on your purchase!

Scholarships and Financial Aid are available for all programs, and no one is ever turned away for lack of funds.

Stayed tuned! Information about auditions for our Fall Mainstage productions is coming soon!

***Oddbridge Extended Day Program is available to Middletown Public School students for all after-school classes, providing transportation direct from your school, snacks, and supervised activities before classes start.

07/31/2026

Today’s the day! The weather is holding, the performers are ready, and the 38th Annual Children’s Circus of Middletown is officially ON!

Join us today at 5:00 PM at Spencer School for an unforgettable evening of circus, creativity, and community featuring more than 170 incredible young performers.

Bring your lawn chairs or a blanket and settle in for the show!

Parking is available next door at Saint Pius Church, with limited priority parking available at Spencer School for those who need it.

Tickets are available at the gate (cash only).

We’ll see you at 5:00! 🎉

07/28/2026

FRESH MERCH ALERT! Dropping THIS FRIDAY at the Children’s Circus of Middletown!!!!!

This year, we’re excited to offer a limited run of just 25 hand tie-dyed children’s shirts, each one dyed by our Circus Director, Jason! Every shirt is a unique piece of art, and all proceeds help support the Children’s Circus through this special fundraiser!

We’ll also have our classic Children’s Circus favorites including baseball hats, our classic purple OP shirts, and brand new “Watermelon Red” adult t-shirts (as well as our traditional blue and yellow shirts, returning by request!)

Sizes and quantities are limited, so come on by the merch booth to say hello to Dan and Davey and take home a piece of Circus before they’re all gone!

07/27/2026

The wait is almost over... the 38th Annual Children’s Circus of Middletown is just 4 days away!

Join us this Friday, July 31 at 5:00pm at Spencer School for an unforgettable evening of circus, creativity, and community. After weeks of rehearsals, more than 170 young performers, (alongside our incredible team of over 20 circus and teaching artists) are ready to share a show filled with skill, plenty of heart, and a ton of surprises!

The Children’s Circus has been a Middletown tradition for 38 years, bringing families, friends, neighbors, and our community together to celebrate not just an incredible performance, but the weeks of hard work and growth that have led to this moment. Whether you’re a longtime circus supporter or joining us for the very first time, we hope you’ll join us!!

Tickets are available now at www.oddfellows.org or can be purchased at the gate (cash only).

Rain Date: Saturday, August 1 at 5:00pm

Bring lawn chairs or blankets, pack a picnic, and invite your family and friends to join as we celebrate another year of the Children’s Circus here in Middletown! See you on Friday!

07/24/2026

🎪 The Children’s Circus is about so much more than the final performance. It’s about the relationships built throughout the summer that make the experience unforgettable. As Co-Director of Circus, Allison has become someone our students look forward to seeing each and every day! We’re pretty fond of her, too! Today, the spotlight is all yours, Allison!

Allison McDermott is a circus artist raised and trained at the Children’s Circus of Middletown in Connecticut! She is a graduate of the New England Center for Circus Arts’ ProTrack Program. She now writes, performs and directs circus shows across New England.

Just ONE WEEK until the 38th Annual Children’s Circus of Middletown! That’s just seven days and countless cartwheels, laughs and unforgettable memories until the big day! Join Allison and the entire Children’s Circus family on July 31st at Spencer School. Tickets are ON SALE NOW!!! 🎪

07/23/2026

🎪 Over at the Art Tent, Artemis reminds us that some of life’s brightest ideas begin the moment we color outside the lines……

Artemisia Omani is a painter, circus performer & teaching artist from Middletown CT. Graduate of Florence Classical Arts Academy & Actors Gymnasium Circus School, Artemisia has 7 years experience teaching visual arts, acrobatics and theatre.

“I believe that The Children’s Circus and Oddfellows Playhouse are some of the most wonderful and magical places on earth, bringing a spirit of joy and openness that is integral to the community. It brings me great happiness to be a part of an organization that has for so long dedicated itself to creating a space where weird kids can stay weird and never be put in a box (unless they’re performing a contortion act!)”

To see more of Artemis’ work, check out their website: https://artemisiaomani.wixsite.com/arts

Thanks Artemis!!
Don’t miss the 38th Annual Children’s Circus of Middletown on July 31st, 5pm at Spencer School! Tickets on sale soon! Come celebrate an unforgettably colorful evening of circus, creativity, clowning, and community! 🎪

07/22/2026

🎪 Today’s spotlight shines on another incredible artist helping bring this year’s Children’s Circus to life. Say “HELLO” to Noah!

Noah Sebastian is a multidisciplinary artist whose practice considers the relationship between experience and identity. He can often be found in the print shop or having run off with the circus.

The countdown is on! We’re just a little over a week away from the 38th Annual Children’s Circus of Middletown! Join us on Friday, July 31st at Spencer School as more than 170 young performers take the stage! We can’t wait to celebrate all of the hard work, heart, and wonder these amazing students have been creating. See you at The Circus!!! 🎪

07/21/2026

🎪 Every circus needs someone to set the tempo! Today, we’re shining the spotlight on our wonderful band leader, Joseph Getter!

🎼Joseph Getter is the Circus Band Director, working with a team of dedicated local musicians to provide sonic support for the circus. He is a creative world musician, multi-instrumentalist and educator, steeped in Jazz, Indonesian gamelan, bamboo flute of India, community drumming, and music for dance, theater, sound meditation, and more. Joseph has played in the band every summer since 1997, directing it since 2018, and loves to provide any and all forms of music that support our kids in the big show. 🎶

On that (musical) note, remember to come see Joseph, The Band, and all of our amazing young performers at the Children’s Circus of Middletown on July 31st! 🎪

07/17/2026

🎪 As we close the week out, today’s spotlight belongs to the one who keeps the circus spinning, stilting, and spectacular. Our fearless ringmaster, Jason, is celebrating his birthday today, and we couldn’t think of a better time to celebrate everything he brings to Children’s Circus and the Middletown community! 🎪

Jason Leinwand is a long time Oddfellow! He started with Oddfellows when he was 16 in the winter of 1995 and hasn’t left since. He is currently in his 15th year directing the Children’s Circus of Middletown and is proud to constantly give back to the amazing community that helped spark his artistic and educational journey. Jason currently lives in Brooklyn, NY with his lovely wife Natasha. He serves as the Education Director of Puppetry in Practice, a non-profit, arts ed organization that works throughout the 5 boroughs of NYC bringing puppetry, performance, visual arts and more to thousands of NYC students. Jason mainly paints dynamic and colorful murals in the public schools of NYC with students of all ages . Additionally, Jason is an adjunct professor at Brooklyn College and works in the Early Childhood Arts Education department where he teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in how to incorporate the arts into early childhood and elementary curriculum and more. Jason has been a practicing visual artist for his entire life and is currently overly obsessed with tie dye. He believes that the arts, color and magic unlock the secrets to a joyful life.

🎊 Happy Birthday, Jason! And with just 2 weeks until the Children’s Circus, the countdown is officially on! The center ring is nearly ready, the excitement is building, and we can’t wait to share all the magic with you on July 31st at 5pm! 🎊