Help me name my: Children’s Theater Edition

January 22, 2013 4:15 PM

I’ve been teaching private voice and piano lessons for children for the past five years, and am about to embark on the next stage of the plan: opening a children’s theater!  Most of my ducks are in a row with one large exception - the name.

The idea is that I will produce musicals which are performed by the children, and continue to give voice and piano lessons out of a ‘black-box theater’ type space.  I’d like the name to sound modern and fun, and evoke the feeling of kids being free to express themselves creatively.  The trouble is any combination of “expression,” “creative,” and “kids” ends up sounding horribly cheesy.  Also, since there will be a theater class portion and a private music lesson portion, the name has to do a double duty.  Below are some of my ideas, but I’m not in love with any of them in particular:

♯♭♮ Accidental Theater and Music
The Magic If (Children’s Music and Theater)
Possibility Theater Company
Night Sky Children’s Theater
Creative Cosmos (Children’s Music and Theater)

I’m in a major metropolitan area, and the [City] Children’s Theater name is already taken.  
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

posted by subsupra to media & arts (11 answers total)

Something like Possibility or Accidental lets you have the choice of branching out to adult things without having to change your name.

I like the idea of Possibility.
posted by Medieval Maven at 4:28 PM on January 22

The Mind's I Theater Company.
posted by MonkeyToes at 4:35 PM on January 22

The first thing that comes to mind, of course, is the Normal Family Theater.
posted by ivan ivanych samovar at 4:39 PM on January 22

♯♭♮

Is this supposed to be a part of the name that you say? How do you say that? If you go with that idea, I'd write it out in English for the benefit of the music illiterate. (And I say this as someone who took years of piano and voice lessons as well as dance and theatre -- I'd have been prime audience for your services, but my parents wouldn't have picked you if they couldn't read your sign.)

I actually like your ideas already and think pretty much any of them could work, with the above caveat. I also think Creative Cosmos sounds too much like a science activity and not like the arts.

Other Ideas:

The Creative Playroom

Cabbages & Kings (Children's Music and Theater)

Jabberwocky (sorry, got on a Lewis Carroll thing for a second there)

Curtain And Clef

I also like Happy Accidents, but maybe parents wouldn't?
posted by Sara C. at 4:40 PM on January 22 [1 favorite]

Really like Curtain and Clef.... Could do a cute graphic with that as well...
posted by pearlybob at 5:28 PM on January 22 [2 favorites]

Sparkle and Shine...maybe a bit too dish soapy.

Top Note Kids?
posted by The Hyacinth Girl at 7:05 PM on January 22

Blame It on the Kids
posted by LonnieK at 7:16 PM on January 22

Blending your suggestions with a happy music word:

The Magic Calliope
Calliope Kids Theater

Calliope Factory
Center Stage Left
Hurdy Gurdy Theater
posted by maggieb at 8:20 PM on January 22

Oh, "Curtain and Clef" is awesome. Love it.

I would stay away from "kid" or "children" in the title so as not to alienate tweens and teens. Go with "young" or "youth."

"Curtain and Clef Company for Young Performers"
posted by elizeh at 8:32 PM on January 22

Youthful Artists
Modern Youth Music & Theater
Notes & Roles Youth Artistry (or Academy)
Youth Performance Academy
Young Verses Academy
Play & Portray Youth Academy
Plays and Players
posted by Dansaman at 10:35 PM on January 22

Blame It on the Youth

Not saying this works for you. There are plenty of good quality, more high-minded contributions here. Just saying if you want to go off-beam a little, and appeal to something different in the kids ...
posted by LonnieK at 7:03 PM on January 23