“This was a real confidence-building experience and pushed some of our kids out of their comfort zone.”
Central Texas Educator
Lighting up literacy, one story at a time
Reader's Theater
At Zach, we believe every student has a light to shine—and sometimes, all it takes is a good story to spark it.
Reader’s Theater brings the magic of performance directly into 3rd–5th grade classrooms across Central Texas, helping students grow as readers, speakers, teammates, and storytellers.
Led by our professional teaching artists during library time, this six-session residency transforms literacy into a spotlight moment. Through script reading, acting exercises, and ensemble work, students explore text in a way that builds fluency, deepens comprehension, and ignites confidence. It’s where shy readers find their voice and reluctant performers step into the light.
Why We Do It
Too many young learners miss out on the joy of reading and the transformational spark of the arts. Reader’s Theater is our way of closing that gap—providing performance-based literacy instruction that builds critical reading skills and creates space for joy, self-expression, and connection.
And because we know every classroom is unique, we design the experience in partnership with educators. That means flexible curriculum, culturally responsive scripts, and bilingual programming where it matters most.
What It Looks Like In Action
Over six weeks, students work in small groups with Zach teaching artists, rehearsing short scripts that turn reading into an ensemble performance. Along the way, they:
- Build fluency through repeated, expressive reading
- Strengthen comprehension by exploring character and motivation
- Grow confidence speaking aloud in front of others
- Develop empathy and collaboration through shared storytelling
The program ends with a classroom performance that lets every student shine in front of their peers and teachers. It’s playful. It’s brave. And for many students, it’s their first standing ovation.
From the Classrom
“My students gained confidence in their communication, reading, and performance skills.”
Reader’s Theater Partner Teacher
Impact & Expansion
Reader’s Theater currently serves students in Hays, Travis, and Williamson counties, with plans to expand in 2025. With support from generous funders and partners, we’re working to:
- Growing our bilingual offerings
- Refining evaluation tools to track literacy outcomes
- Ensuring students in under-served schools have access to high-quality, joyful arts education
At Zach, we see young people not only as future artists—but as future leaders, collaborators, and change-makers. Reader’s Theater helps them find their light.
GET INVOLVED
- Want to bring Reader's Theater to your school?
- Looking for ways to support literacy through the arts?
- Ready to help more students step into the spotlight?