Sarah Jane Hardy has been the artistic director of Northwest Children’s Theater for a couple of decades. Since she left her native Liverpool, England, Sarah Jane has weathered many storms at the theater and produced and directed many successful shows. She’s been a visionary theater leader, and when many theaters had to scale back during the pandemic, NWCT obtained a long lease to open a new space in downtown Portland. Converting a former movie multiplex into a couple of much-needed new spaces for themselves, NWCT has several options for creating its stage productions, but also is now providing affordable spaces for other community and artistic groups. NWCT just returned with its holiday classic, Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer, which runs through December 29, 2024 at The Judy, its Judy Kafoury Center for Youth Arts.
Music by Johnny Marks, courtesy of NWCT. Subscribe and listen to Stage & Studio on: Apple, Google, Spotify, Android and Sticher and hear past shows on the official Stage & Studio website.
In this podcast episode, Sarah Jane Hardy talks about…
Moving from a large space to becoming an artistic hub: “I think we had over a dozen organizations that are youth-centered in the building last year, from schools to performing groups to individual artists that perform for children. Sometimes it’s a partnership. Sometimes they’ll work with our students and we’ll create something collaboratively and together.”
The company’s philosophy with its shows, including Rudolph: “You know, when you go to a children’s theater, it’s all adult Equity actors that are playing all the parts. And there’s advantages to that, too. But we’ve chosen a different route. And so we have some great youth performers. The singing is beautiful. It’s interactive. It’s playful.”
Future goals: “I’m a puzzler by nature. I love to problem-solve, and the combination in this moment, the combination of the hurt and the community, the faces on families who are trying to figure it out post-pandemic. And in this new world with everything that’s happening in the world and America at this moment being part of that puzzle—that problem, how do we live in this moment?”
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Sponsor
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
- Music & Lyrics by Johnny Marks, Script Adaptation by Robert Penol
- Runs through December 29, 2024.
Shows at 11 a.m. & 2:30 p.m.
Estimated run time: Approx. 75 minutes including a 15 minute intermission. - For tickets visit: NWCTS.org
- Based on the animated television special Rudolph the Red-Nosed
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Sarah Jane Hardy, Artistic Director of Northwest Children’s Theater, loves creating live theater for children because of all the amazing artists she gets to collaborate with, and because children are such great audiences! As Artistic Director of NWCT, Sarah Jane has directed and choreographed many Mainstage productions including Elephant & Piggie’s “We Are In a Play!”, Matilda, Mary Poppins, Chitra: The Girl Prince, and many more. Sarah Jane rarely bakes, but every year she makes a batch of giant cinnamon rolls over the holidays. When it’s snowing outside, she likes to take a walk (if it’s not too icy!) and then cozy up and watch British mysteries on TV.
Conversation