There are a lot of theatre companies in the world, but Drama by George a little bit different. We focus on educational theatre for students in grades K-12. Our distinctive is that we use the performing arts to communicate life-changing character values, from the importance of stopping bullies to the value of hard work. That commitment to transforming students’ lives through social and emotional learning is the reason we say that we’re Bringing Character to Life.
- OUR MISSION is to educate and delight students with the transformational power of original, character-building dramatic stories.
- OUR VISION is to operate with excellence as a sustainable character education asset that serves 25,000 students each year.
- WE VALUE good work, well-done.
About our Mission and Vision
- We strive for excellence in teaching and producing the storytelling arts (live theatre, oral storytelling, and film) to convey character values to our students and audiences. Most of our work is created “from scratch” (or adapted from literary works) specifically for Drama by George programs. We work not only to educate, but also to delight our audiences with energetic, kid-centered productions that have the potential to change lives.
- Our programs don’t just teach theatre–they build character. For example, our after-school drama clubs instill character values like self-confidence, teamwork, self-discipline, and creativity. Many of our plays focus on additional aspects of social and emotional learning such as bullying prevention, responsibility, friendship, and compassion.
- Not every aspect of what we do contains an overt character education component. We produce some programs solely to teach dramatic skills (or just for fun). But when looked at as a whole, our body of work will create the potential for character transformation through relationships, performances, and workshops.
- We craft programs and structures that result in financial and operational sustainability, so that we can support our artists and continue our mission.
About our Values
- GOOD WORK refers to the process of teaching and producing theatre. We want to engage in work that has intrinsic value and can make a substantial difference in the lives of participants. To craft a good process, we use quality scripts and curriculum, embed character education values in many of them, institute a rigorous rehearsal/ educational process, maintain integrity in all of our dealings with others, pay our artists fairly for the work performed, and build a community of artists during the production process.
- WELL DONE refers to the product (performance) that results from teaching and producing theatre. We place a priority on dramatic experiences culminating in a performance (rather than just class exercises) whenever possible. To craft a good product, we work for excellence in production values, including acting and technical aspects, while taking into account the abilities of the participants.
