Welcome to the TEC drama page! The co-op was conceived in 2015 as a place for kids ages 12 and older to participate in wholesome drama productions in a supportive environment with high expectations. We take the drama program seriously and like to tell the kids that while the whole world is waiting for them to be mediocre, God created them to be exceptional. Other things you'll often hear repeated include:
Through these productions, cast and crew members will learn:
We perform two full-length productions each year, plus two summer productions that are open to non-members, as well. We hope to see you there!
Shakespeare's Twelfth Night or What You Will - August 2023
Mistaken identities, disguises, love triangles, and clever wordplay are the hallmarks of this beloved Shakespeare comedy. The actors and crew do the prep work largely on their own over the summer, and then put together the show in a one-week period, culminating in four highly honed performances, all free to the public.
Dramapalooza 2023: The Art of the Old-Fashioned Radio Play - June 2023
Each year, we offer a week-long skills camp where kids can get comfortable on the stage and improve their speaking and acting abilities. This year, we'll learn voice acting, Foley artistry, and more. One performance and very little memorization make this a super easy camp for beginners. The camp is for ages 12+ plus younger siblings of co-op members.
The Emperor's New Clothes - May 2023
The world-renown thespian troupe, the Ivanova family, takes you on a journey to 1800s Russia where we examine how people can be blind to reality and everyone else seems to follow along for fear of being called names. Keep the aisles clear, because the people of Kostrama know no bounds, and you may find a character sitting directly on your lap or haggling with you over the price of bread.
Junie B. Jones: Jingle Bells, Batman Smells (P.S. So Does May) - December 2022
Wowie wow wow! Junie B. Jones, First-Grader, is super-excited about the upcoming holiday sing-along and Secret Santa gift exchange at her school. Too bad tattletale May keeps ruining all of the fun. So when Junie B. draws May's name for Secret Santa, it is not delightful. Will peace and goodwill for all prevail in the end?
A Midsummer Night's Dream - August 2022
Journey to ancient Athens with the characters in Shakespeare's most beloved comedy, A Midsummer Night's Dream. Weddings, lovers' quarrels, mistaken identities, and magical mischief combine to create a rollicking romp filled with clever wordplay that ensures lots of laughter.
Crazytown - May 2022
This year is the fifth anniversary of TEC's founding, and we're revisiting the first full-length play we ever performed - Crazytown! It's all happening in Crazytown, and if you're a first-time visitor, you'll scarcely believe your eyes. Get to know the residents of Crazytown as we visit the local police interrogation room, where the nicest guy in town is issued a strange ultimatum. Witness the drama of an elementary school election and all its hot-button issues, including the age-old tater-tot debate. See a fresh take on news reporting, a sword fight you wouldn’t expect, a breathtaking sporting spectacular, and much more.
Peter Pan - December 2021
With a magical journey to Neverland, we revisit the beloved story of the one child who never grew up. The Lost Boys, the bumbling pirates, the fearsome crocodile, and the horrible Captain Hook teach the Darling children and the audience lessons we'll never forget.
Murder by Indecision - April 2021
Age has caught up with Agatha Crispy, the world’s best-known mystery playwright, as she attempts to crank out her newest and last manuscript. Senility is setting in and the words just don’t flow like they used to. Ignoring her pestering agent Ruth Less, Agatha sits down to write, wrestling with her characters and babbling to her imaginary friend Typy, the typewriter. As she struggles through the first few pages of her play, Miss Maple, Inspector Dryfus and all her characters come to life on stage, then crumple with every balled-up page tossed into the trashcan. When she stops typing, her characters take on a life of their own, lamenting how Agatha is ruining their reputation in the literary world with this last flop of a manuscript. If only they could influence Agatha somehow to help her and themselves.
Closed for the Holidays - December 2020
After a blizzard shuts down the roads on Christmas Eve eve, a motley crew of travelers finds themselves stranded at the local community center. From the lovelorn drama teacher with a bus full of students, to the quarrelsome couple on the way to their wedding, to the overeager sheriff ready for some real criminal action, everyone has their own troubles to untangle. But to have a happy holiday, they're going to need a miracle - or seven, to be exact. It's a spirited and heartwarming comedy with a healthy dash of Christmas magic.
Greek Olympiaganza - May 2020
Sadly, this wild romp through the pantheon of Greek myths was rehearsed but then canceled after a pandemic shut everything down.
Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe - December 2019
The members of The Elective Collective players have been hard at work preparing our annual Christmas show. Gather your family, friends, and neighbors and accompany us on our Narnian adventure.
Join the Pevensie children in this beloved classic by C.S. Lewis. Set in the land of Narnia, this story re-creates the magic and mystery of Aslan, the great lion; his struggle with the White Witch; and the adventures of four children who inadvertently wander from an old wardrobe into the exciting, never to be forgotten Narnia.
A Midsummer Night's Dream - August 2019
First performed around 1596, Shakespeare’s comic fantasy has become a beloved classic for good reason. The story intertwines the tale of four lovers who find themselves bewitched by fairies, a battle between the king and queen of the fairies over a stolen Indian prince, a troupe of really bad actors who live to please their audience, and mistaken identity galore. TEC held auditions and actors learned lines and perfected their portrayals independently. Then the cast gathered for a single week to stage the show in lightning-fast fashion, then put on four shows in two days, playing to more than 300 audience members.
Dramapalooza: The Play's the Thing - June 2019
In preparation for our first shot at Shakespeare, we gathered our favorite summertime companions and a few new friends ages 8-19 to explore the bard from a humorous perspective. The week-long study concluded with a Friday night performance that many guests said was their favorite TEC production yet.
Stinky Cheese Man - May 2019
Though the characters may be familiar, each of your favorite storybook fables is uproariously derailed in this adaptation of Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith's quintessential children's book of fractured fairy tales. Everything from "Chicken Little" to "The Gingerbread Man" gets a complete makeover. Fun music and witty narration accompany the likes of ineloquent giants, sassy barnyard animals, colossal cow pies, and enough stinky cheese to go around.
Seussified Christmas Carol - December 2018
Join us on a whimsical romp through a Dickens classic! In this version of A Christmas Carol, you'll meet The Scrooge, Bed-Headed Fred, Little Timmy Loo Hoo, and our Ghost of Christmas Future, Sven. A Seussified Christmas Carol will have you raising a glass of zoot fruited juices and proclaiming loudly with your racket whack racquet as we kick off your season of holiday cheer.
Dramapalooza: Happily Ever After - June 2018
Our second annual summer drama camp brought kids from near and far for an exploration of adapting familiar storybooks to the stage.
Crimson House Murder - May 2018
You’ll find laughs galore in this murder mystery farce that spoofs the private eye shows of the past. It’s the story of Crimson House, a seedy hotel where the guests pay outrageous rent for shoddy service. Arriving on the scene is that famous, inept, yet very funny Hoboken detective, Hercules Porridge, who goes by Junior. A corpse has been discovered in the sitting room, and a beautiful secretary is done in by deadly orchid juice. Who could have done such dastardly deeds? The guest list includes a mystery writer, Anguish Crispie, an eccentric young man who dresses like a jungle explorer, and a strange actress who always dresses in black. Or maybe it’s Colonel Chutney, a crazy neighbor, who thinks he’s in India in 1880. There’s also Jeeves, the butler, who has a wandering mind. Thrills and chills collide with sidesplitting laughter as the case is surprisingly solved by Detective Porridge.
Alice in Cuckooland - December 2017
The embittered Queen of Hearts has locked Santa in the dungeon, and Christmas can't come until he's free, so Alice and her cadre of wacky compatriots hatch a plot to rescue the jolly elf. Join us for a traditional English Christmas panto where the characters are more than expected, and the audience gets in on the act. In this art form, it's perfectly acceptable - and even expected - to boo the villains, cheer the heroes, sing along with the songs, and answer back questions posed from the stage. Come celebrate your holidays with us - we can't wait to see you!
How the Grinch Stole Christmas - December 2017
After burglarizing a town filled with the eternally warm-hearted Whos, the green fuzzy Grinch learns that maybe Christmas doesn't come in a box. This adaptation of the Dr. Seuss favorite will brighten your holiday and help your heart to grow three sizes.
Dramapalooza - June 2017
Our inaugural summer drama camp was designed to get kids comfortable on the stage, and to underscore projection, facial expression, teamwork, improv, and other essential skills they will need to be successful in amateur theater.
Charlotte's Web - April 2017
E.B. White's beloved classic comes to life on stage in the story of a wide-eyed innocent named Wilbur who discovers the richness and meaning that friendship brings to life. Wilbur is in danger of being slaughtered, but wise barnyard spider Charlotte, with the help of other farm friends and Wilbur's beloved girl Fern, puts a plan into action to save his life. Join us for Friday and Saturday shows at 7 p.m.
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever - December 2016
Things get a little crazy when the Herdman kids are involved, and this year, they’ve taken over the church pageant completely. As a result, the ladies’ aid society is in an uproar, someone’s been slapping the shepherds around, and the church may or may not have been on fire. But in the end, it all turns out to be one of the funniest and most touching Christmas stories you’ve ever seen.
Crazytown - May 2016
It's all happening in Crazytown, and if you're a first-time visitor, you'll scarcely believe your eyes. Get to know the residents of Crazytown as we visit the local police interrogation room, where the nicest guy in town is issued a strange ultimatum. Witness the drama of an elementary school election and all its hot-button issues, including the age-old tater tot debate. See a fresh take on news reporting, a sword fight you wouldn’t expect, a breathtaking sporting spectacular, and much more.
Snow White & Friends - May 2016
Enjoy a romp through a fairytale wonderland and a new angle on a classic story, featuring some of our youngest actors. A bickering queen and mirror, a jaunty woodsman and a tribe of tragically hip dwarves accompany Snow White on her journey.
When Love Came Down - December 2015
Experience Christmas through the eyes of some very unexpected characters, from a harried innkeeper and an overwrought mouse, to a few rough-and-tumble cowboys and a trio of joyful ladies who can't wait to share the good news with their frowning friend. What they all discover in the end is that Jesus is the reason, not only for the season but for everything.
