Neighborhood Bridges

The Fulton was the first theatre in the nation invited to become a satellite site for Neighborhood Bridges, the critical literacy program devised by the Children's Theatre Company of Minneapolis and the University of Minnesota. Neighborhood Bridges was developed in 1997 by Peter Brosius, Artistic Director of the Children's Theatre Company, and Jack Zipes, Professor of German and Comparative Literature at the University of Minnesota. Endorsed by the federal Department of Education, this program is a comprehensive program of storytelling and creative drama designed to help children develop their critical literacy skills and transform them into storytellers of their own lives. Our teaching artists work collaboratively on a weekly basis with classroom teachers to develop students' abilities to write, speak, and think critically, by utilizing threatre games, storytelling, improvisation, reading, and creative writing activities.

A venture grant from the Lancaster Foundation for Educational Enrichment in 2010 welcomed Fulton's Bridges program into eight Lancaster School District classrooms. Contact the Director of Education and Outreach for more information, or to observe a current Neighborhood Bridge's class.

The Fulton's involvement remains singular, as it has been the first to adapt the curriculum for pre-schoolers (learn more about Building Bridges), as well as such underserved constituencies as migrant children and those home-schooled. Thanks to a major grant from PNC Bank, we are able to offer this program free of charge to a variety of area pre-schools, serving children living at or below poverty level.