Theatre for Very Young Audiences (TVY)
The UIS Performing Arts Center is excited to continue its Theatre for the Very Young (TVY) programming in its second year. TVY performances are created specifically for children ages 0–5 and their caregivers, offering engaging, age-appropriate arts experiences designed to spark imagination, curiosity, and connection.
This Season’s TVY Experiences
Following the success of our inaugural TVY production, All Smiles, we are expanding our offerings this year with a new TVY production, Blue, and the launch of Play Date, a new family series for young children and their caregivers.
Featured TVY Production: Blue
This fall, UIS Performing Arts Center will present Blue by Annie Cusick Wood, a playful and engaging theatre experience created especially for very young audiences and their grown-ups.
Blue will be featured as part of the Staley Class Acts Sensory-Friendly Programming Series and the new Play Date series while also reaching preschool students through community-based performances.
About the Play
Blue is an engaging and endearing 45-minute play created especially for young children and their caregivers.
Meet Sparkly Blue and Inky Blue, who live and play in a world where everything is—yes—blue! But one day, a bright red sock appears, and their world begins to change. As Sparkly Blue and Inky Blue explore this exciting new discovery, they learn to embrace a world full of color, curiosity, and possibility.
This gentle, interactive performance invites families to experience theatre together in a way that is playful, imaginative, and perfectly suited for little ones.
Sensory-Friendly Performances
As part of the Staley Class Acts Sensory-Friendly Programming Series, UIS Performing Arts Center will present two public performances of Blue in the UIS Studio Theatre on November 17 at 9:45 a.m. and 11:15 a.m.
Designed for children ages 0–5, their caregivers, and individuals with sensory needs, these performances provide a welcoming and supportive environment where audience members can engage in ways that feel comfortable for them. The gentle, interactive nature of Blue makes it an ideal introduction to live theatre and a flexible experience for audiences who benefit from a relaxed performance environment.
Click here to reserve your tickets today.
Additional Blue Performances
In addition to the sensory-friendly performances, Blue will also be:
- Featured as part of our Play Date series on November 21.
- Shared with Pre-K students at Springfield Urban League Head Start sites through our Arts Start program, funded by PNC Bank’s Grow Up Great initiative.
NEW! Play Date
We are pleased to introduce Play Date, a new Saturday morning series designed for children ages 0–5 and their caregivers. The series features interactive arts experiences—including theatre, music, movement, and play—created specifically for very young audiences. Two performances of Blue will be offered as part of the series, alongside additional experiences designed to encourage creativity, exploration, and family engagement.
Our Play Date series is intentionally relaxed, welcoming, and developmentally appropriate. These small-scale events invite curiosity, movement, and play while creating a comfortable environment where children and caregivers can participate at their own pace.
What to Expect
- Designed for children ages 0–5 and their caregivers
- Interactive experiences featuring theatre, music, movement, and play
- Inclusive and responsive environment where children are encouraged to move, react, and participate in ways that feel comfortable for them
- All events take place in the UIS Studio Theatre
- A conference room adjacent to the theatre is available for families before, during, and after each event
- Most events offer two 45-minute performances at 9:45 a.m. and 11:15 a.m.
- One ticket allows families to attend either performance—or stay and enjoy both
Tickets
- $5 per person for individual events
- Three-show package: $10 per person
Upcoming Play Date Events
Click any of the events below to get your tickets today!
Play Date: Rockballet Remix
Saturday, September 26
9:45 a.m. and 11:15 a.m.
Play Date: Tiny Disco Halloween
Saturday, October 17
Doors open at 9:45 a.m.
Party continues until 11:45 a.m.
Play Date: Blue — A Playful Theatre Experience
Saturday, November 21
9:45 a.m. and 11:15 a.m.
For questions, please email Justine Moser.
