Theatre for Young Audiences

About the program:
Each spring, Fresno State students enroll in a course to bring children's theatre productions to elementary and middle schools throughout the San Joaquin Valley. This touring company of student actors has been a tradition at Fresno State for over 50 years, and have toured more than 40 schools and over 16,000 children in a single season.

Along Came A Dog

Written by Meindert DeJong | Adapted & Directed by Nicola Olsen

About The Play

In this adaption of the novel by award winning author Meindert DeJong live actors and puppets portray a summer in the life of a farmer, a red hen, and a stray dog.  The stray dog, meek and starving, appears in the farmer's barnyard and becomes the red hen's protector. Twice banished by the farmer, the dog twice manages to find his way back to continue his mission as the hen's guardian. By the end, he earns himself the gratitude of the farmer and the home he so craves.

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Dates

Our performances are available Tuesday and Thursday mornings starting March 4, 2025 with our final performances on May 6, 2025. Not available April 10, 15, & 17, 2025.

How to bring Theatre for Young Audiences to your school

Please fill out the Theatre for Young Audiences Tour Request Form to begin the process of having our Spring 2025 tour visit your campus. 

On-Campus (Fresno State) Performances

We are pleased to offer on campus performances of "Nice & Slow" Perfromance dates are Thursday, April 10 and Friday, April 11, 2025 with performance times at 10:00 a.m. & 11:30 a.m. on both days.  The capacity for Each performance is 145. Reservations can be made by filling our Theatre for Young Audiences On-Campus Performance Request Form.

Performance Costs

Tour Cost:
$300.00 for 1 performance.
$200 for each additional performance on the same day.

Maximum audience size for a performance is 300 people. If the maximum number is exceeded, the school will be billed for additional performances.

On-capmus Performance Cost:
$3 per attending student.
$5 per attending adult.

Adopt-A-School Program (Financial Assistance)

The Adopt-A-School Program offers $300 and $150 awards to bring this year's touring production to your school.  A $300 award funds one performance for up to 300 students.  A $150 award will require matching funds of $150 from your school for one performance for up to 300 students.

The Adopt-A-School Theatre Arts Committee will award performances based on free and reduced lunch percentages as well as on a first-come, first-served basis.

Funding is limited.  Award recipients will be notified at the start of the Spring 2025 semester.

FREE Public Performances

The Theatre and Dance Depeartment is pleased to offer two FREE public performances of "Along Came A Dog" during Vintage Days on the campus of Fresno State. 

April 12, 2025 | 10:00AM & 2:00PM | Dennis and Cheryl Woods Theatre | Speech Arts Building | Fresno State