Our Mission
Playtime Poppy Children’s Theatre engages, educates, and entertains the community through interactive theatre productions and arts-integrated education.
Playtime Poppy Children’s Theatre
Since 1951, Playtime Poppy Children’s Theatre has produced imaginative theatre productions and education programs for children and families. Playtime Poppy presents one-hour interactive children’s theatre productions in partnership with Jefferson, Kennedy, and Washington high schools, including public performances for children and families and matinee performances for classrooms. In partnership with the Cedar Rapids Community School District; Playtime Poppy offers arts-integrated classroom programs, including, Book Adventures for kindergartners, Operation Backstage for third graders, and One Great Line for fifth graders. In the community, Playtime Poppy presents the Summer Theatre Adventure, a theatre camp for youth ages 9-14 that produces a play which is performed at the end of the week.
Community Impact
2023-2024 Season ~ 72nd Year of Playtime Poppy
Thanks to the generous support of donors, foundations, corporate sponsors, and volunteers, Playtime Poppy Children’s Theatre is able to share engaging theatre and educational programming with children and families throughout the Cedar Rapids area. We’re proud to share with you how we have been able to expand our programming and the impact it made in our community over the past season.
Playtime Poppy’s arts-integrated classroom programming reached over 300 more students and several new schools during our 72nd Season. We brought back Book Adventures, our interactive storytelling program for kindergarten and first grade classes. During our 2023-24 season, Playtime Poppy provided free matinees for over 2,000 elementary students and public attendance had an increase of over 500. Playtime Poppy’s Summer Theatre Adventure was expanded to 2 sessions that doubled the student participation. Your contributions have allowed us to inspire creativity, boost confidence, and foster a love for the arts in so many young hearts.
As we look forward to the upcoming season, we are excited to build on this momentum and continue enriching the lives of children through theatre arts.
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Over 4,600
Children and families attended Playtime Poppy productions at Cedar Rapids Jefferson, Kennedy, and Washington high schools. An increase of over 600 from last season.
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2,198
Children, teachers, and those with special needs attended matinee performances at Cedar Rapids Jefferson, Kennedy, and Washington high schools.
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310
Fifth grade students participated in One Great Line, one of the in-classroom programs Playtime Poppy Children’s Theatre provides in partnership with the Cedar Rapids Community School District.
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207
Third grade students attended Operation Backstage, an interactive, hands on, behind-the-scenes tour of technical, theatre. Students explored the high school theatres prior to their shows and learned about lighting, sound, costumes and more.
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$1,000
Awarded in scholarship funds to a high school thespian to support a lifetime love of theatre.
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53
Students participated in Playtime Poppy’s week-long Summer Theatre Adventure. Due to overwhelming response, the program was expanded to 2 sessions and over 200 community members attended the group’s 2 performances.
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270
Kindergarten and first grade students attended Book Adventures, our interactive storytelling program. Poppy teaching artists worked with the classroom teachers to promote reading comprehension and prepare students to engage with story, characters, and emotions.
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7
Area elementary classrooms were treated to stories read by Playtime Poppy volunteers on America Reads Day.
We know how much you love Playtime Poppy productions and the educational opportunities we offer to children and families. Playtime Poppy invites you to join us!
Meet the Playtime Poppy Team
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Playtime Poppy
OUR HAPPY LITTLE EAR OF CORN
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Lynn Jensen
MANAGING DIRECTOR
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Sheryl Payton
BOARD PRESIDENT
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Jim Miller
BOARD VICE PRESIDENT
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Kayla Lansing Green
BOARD SECRETARY
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Mindy Fiala-Leaven
BOARD TREASURER
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Jackson Lansing Green
BOARD DIRECTOR
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Zhen E Rammelsberg
BOARD DIRECTOR
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Kent Reynolds
BOARD DIRECTOR
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Nicole Harvey
BOARD DIRECTOR
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Ella Lehmann
BOARD DIRECTOR
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Barb Colehour
BOARD DIRECTOR
“I discovered my love of live theatre as a child when I sat in the audience watching my parents in community theatre productions and attended Playtime Poppy productions with my siblings. The magic of each on-stage world lit my imagination. As a teacher, I know firsthand the impact that participating in theatre can have on a student’s academic achievement. Attending live theatre also has a powerful impact, leading to a greater tolerance and increased empathy of different people and ideas.”
Lynn Jensen, Playtime Poppy Managing Director
“I grew up in Benton County where I was surrounded by corn. I never got the chance to be involved in any Playtime Poppy productions, but JUMPED at working with the Happy Little Ear of Corn when I was asked to be a member of the Playtime Poppy Board!”
Zhen E Rammelsberg, Playtime Poppy Board Director