History and Mission
In 1996, Making Books Sing began as the family theatre and education program of the Tony Award-winning
Vineyard Theatre. After five years of steady growth, the Vineyard Theatre’s Founder, Barbara Zinn Krieger, left her post there as Executive Director to establish Making Books Sing as an independent, 501© 3 organization. Today, she and co-founder, Debra Sue Lorenzen, continue to guide Making Books Sing’s mission:
To empower children to experience the performing arts and literature as captivating, accessible vehicles for their imaginations, artistic expression and learning.
Our unique combination of professional musical theatre, high-quality books and hands-on theater education aim to nurture children’s love for theatre and books, and help children grow into literate, creative and socially aware individuals.
Who We Serve
We believe that attending and making theatre should be available to all children, regardless of socio-economic background or learning level. Providing access to quality theater and theater education is central to our vision. Our tried and true strategy is to tour across New York City, so children from the Bronx to Brooklyn can see our productions and partake in related education programs back in the classroom. We tour the same show to the outerboroughs that Manhattan children see – complete live music, full lights, sets and costumes, and excellent Equity actors. Other works occur in site-specific locations citywide.
Our cast of 20 teaching artists travel thousands of subway miles each year to ensure thousands of children have in-depth theatre-making experiences. Each year, our school audiences attend more than 70 schools across New York City. We work in schools whose student populations range from predominantly Latino to immigrants hailing from more than 40 nations.
All children benefit from the creativity, social skills and literacy just waiting to emerge through the magic of literary and theatre arts. We are particularly committed to working with those children who are at highest risk of never experiencing that magic -- due to homelessness, poverty, language barriers and special needs