Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati
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FAIRY GODMOTHER PROGRAM
Each year, thousands of children and teens from under-resourced schools attend our student matinees for free.
The magic of theatre.
Each season, our Fairy Godmother Program brings thousands of children and teens, whose schools have little or no arts funding, to experience the magic of live theatre for free. For many, this is often their first time attending a theatre for a live performance. The program also includes bus transportation, snack bags, and in-classroom enrichment activities.
All performances coincide with our holiday musical, which takes place in mid-November and early December, and are open to students of all ages. These shows offer fresh, modern spins on classic fairy tales, infused with contemporary cultural references to make them engaging and accessible to young audiences.
Qualifying criteria
We recognize that many schools and organizations struggle to find funding to provide arts opportunities to their students and carefully consider all requests for our Fairy Godmother Program. With a limited number of shows available, we prioritize ticket requests from schools and organizations with the greatest need:
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- Schools with greater than 90% of their overall student body eligible for federal free- or reduced-lunch programs are automatically qualified for free programming.
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- Schools with less than 90% of their student body eligible for federal free- or reduced-lunches may qualify for subsidized programming on a sliding fee scale.
Apply
If you have questions about the application or program, email our Education Department.
Number of tickets
We can accommodate up to 180 attendees per performance. We may be able to split your school or organization into multiple dates, depending on the size of your group and ticket availability.
Ticket request form
Although requests are accepted starting in September, we may not be able to confirm until fall. Please let us know if this is an issue so we can adjust.
Shows fill quickly and are distributed based on financial need, past relationship, and request submission date. Waiting lists are available for sold-out performances or if more dates are added.
Applications for the 2025 Fairy Godmother performances will be available beginning September 2.
2025-2026 Dates
All performances are at 10:00 am.
| Tue, Nov 18 | Mon, Nov 24 |
| Wed, Nov 19 | Tue, Nov 25 |
| Thu, Nov 20 | Tue, Dec 2 |
| Fri, Nov 21 |
Email our Education Department to discuss appropriate shows for your school group and the curriculum support we can provide.
Bus information
For schools and groups participating in Fairy Godmother matinees, Ensemble Theatre may be able to underwrite or help offset the cost of buses. However, this requires a minimum of four weeks’ notice.
The online ticket request will ask if your school or group will need financial assistance with buses. Should this change after submitting the request form, please notify our staff as soon as possible so that we can try to adjust.
Prior to the show, our staff will provide bus instructions for load-in and load-out of students.
Relaxed performances
As part of the Fairy Godmother Program, in addition to our school matinees, we also offer several relaxed performances of our holiday musical and other select productions throughout the season. These performances are for individuals with Autism, developmental disabilities, and other sensory sensitivities to light and sound along with their families.
This is the same professional production staged during the rest of a show’s run but includes accommodations made for all to enjoy the show. Support materials are also provided to prepare attendees with what to expect during their theatre trip.
Visit our relaxed performance page for more information, including how to apply:
Study guides
Our Education Department creates customized study and educator guides to accompany our student matinee productions for in-class use. Each guide includes show information, a synopsis, fun facts about the performance, and integrated classroom activities to unpack before or after the performance. Study guides for Fairy Godmother performances will be sent to teachers as they become available.
Program history
“Hello, Ginny!”
Before the lights go down, each Fairy Godmother performance begins the same: with this enthusiastic greeting from nearly 200 young students saying hello to Ginny Hoffman, Ensemble’s very first Fairy Godmother.
The Fairy Godmother Program was founded in the memory and celebration of Ginny, an actress and theatre educator who shone on our stage from 1987 until her death in 1993. Like the fairy godmothers she portrayed in many of our early holiday productions, Ginny had a special place in her heart for sharing the magic of theatre with kids.
Nearly 40 years later, more than 2,000 students from the Greater Cincinnati region have attended our holiday shows for free, an incredible tribute to Ginny’s enduring light.
Fairy Godmother Sponsors
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Anonymous |
Mr. Mrs. David E. Moccia |
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Educator Resources
We’re your supporting cast, providing free study guides and other resources to integrate live theater easily into your curriculum!
Prelude Program
Our flagship arts residency program fulfills Common Core Standards using the dynamic, collaborative, and fun process of theatre.
About
Ensemble Theatre produces world-class professional theatre and engaging education and outreach programs.
Photo credits | Program history, Claire Slemmer, Ginny Hoffman, & Ophelia Kelly Azariah in The Sleeping Beauty (Sandy Underwood); Qualifying criteria, the cast of The Dancing Princesses greets children in lobby (Mikki Schaffner); Study guides, Burgess Byrd in The Frog Princess (Ryan Kurtz); Educator resources, Dale Hodges, R. Graham Rogers & Esther Cunningham in Sex and Education (Ryan Kurtz).
1127 Vine Street