Bringing Theatre Into Schools

Each year, Little Red Kettle brings live theatre directly into primary schools through our Interactive Touring Play, often known as the ITP.

The ITP is one of Little Red Kettle’s core programmes. Created especially for children, it brings storytelling, performance and participation into school halls, giving young audiences the chance to experience theatre in a familiar and accessible setting.

For many children, it may be their first experience of live theatre. Instead of asking schools to travel to a theatre venue, we bring the performance to them, transforming school spaces into places of story, play and creativity.

Bringing Theatre Directly to Schools

Little Red Kettle’s Interactive Touring Play is designed for primary school children and tours to schools across the region each year.

Every play is created by the LRK artistic team with young audiences in mind. The stories are lively, playful and engaging, with characters and situations that children can connect with. The themes often reflect things that are relevant to children’s lives, schools and the world around them, offering a creative way to explore ideas, feelings and everyday challenges.

Because the performance happens in school, children can enjoy live theatre in a space where they already feel comfortable. Bringing theatre directly into schools also helps make the arts more accessible, allowing more children to experience a live performance as part of their school day.

What Makes It Interactive?

The ITP is not a sit-back-and-watch kind of performance.

Children are invited to respond, join in, react to characters, make suggestions and become part of the world of the play. Their reactions help shape the energy in the room, making each performance feel alive and slightly different.

Teachers are often part of the fun too, with moments where they may be invited to join in, take on a small role or help bring the story to life.

This interactive approach makes the experience memorable for children. It helps them see that theatre is not something distant or formal — it is something they can take part in, enjoy and respond to.

Stories That Connect With Children

Each Interactive Touring Play is different, but the stories are always created with children’s experiences in mind.

Through humour, character and adventure, the plays can open up ideas such as big feelings, friendship, teamwork, problem-solving, resilience or navigating situations that children may recognise in their own lives.

The aim is not to turn the performance into a lesson, but to use theatre as a playful way to explore meaningful ideas. After the show, teachers may find that the story sparks further discussion, creative writing, drawing, role play or classroom activities.

In this way, the ITP becomes more than a one-off performance. It gives children something to enjoy in the moment and something to think about afterwards.

Why the ITP Matters

Live theatre offers children something very different from screen-based entertainment. It happens in the moment, with actors and audience sharing the same space.

A school hall can become another world. A character can step right in front of you. A child’s suggestion can become part of the performance. That shared experience is what makes live theatre so exciting.

For LRK, the Interactive Touring Play is about giving children access to high-quality creative experiences. It allows us to reach schools, teachers and pupils through theatre, storytelling and play.

In one recent tour, LRK’s Interactive Touring Play reached 54 schools through 95 performances, engaging 10,248 children, including 3 schools joining for the first time.

Behind the Scenes

Behind every ITP tour is a lot of preparation, rehearsal and teamwork. From developing the story to rehearsing the performance and bringing it into schools, the Interactive Touring Play is a shared creative effort. Actors, writers, directors, schools and teachers all play a part in helping the performance reach young audiences.

Each year, the ITP gives Little Red Kettle the chance to connect with thousands of children through live performance. It reflects so much of what LRK is about: creativity, collaboration, participation and giving young people meaningful access to the arts.

Interested in the Interactive Touring Play?

Little Red Kettle’s Interactive Touring Play tours to primary schools and is designed to be engaging, accessible and full of imagination.

For schools, it is a chance to bring live theatre directly to pupils. For children, it is a chance to laugh, join in, respond and experience the magic of performance up close.

If your school would like to find out more about the Interactive Touring Play, please get in touch with Little Red Kettle.