Kirk & Lucy Borland
STUDENT SERIES
in memory of son Patrick Beighley
The Wortham Center’s popular Student Series features high quality, curriculum-related performances by professional, nationally touring companies in music, dance and theatre. The Student Series is open to school groups, homeschoolers, community groups and families with students from PreK to Grade 12, serving thousands of students each year — stretching minds, working imaginations and deepening learning.
Save the date! 2025/26 reservations open on Aug 11, 2025.
Tickets: $12 each / $11 for groups of 10 or more.
The Arts for All Kids initiative provides need-based scholarships to cover the cost of admission for students and schools. Information for 2025/26 registration and eligibility for scholarships is coming soon.
Please note that children under 2 years of age are not permitted at the Student Series. Artists, programs, and dates are subject to change.
2025/26 Student Series Sneak Peek
RESCHEDULED SHOWS
Lightwire Theater presents
DINO-LIGHT
Fri, Oct 17
10 am & 12 pm
Grades 2–6
Among our most in-demand performances, Lightwire Theater is back with another glow-in the-dark adventure using a cutting-edge blend of puppetry, technology, and dance. This crowd favorite offers an unforgettable experience for students.
Cirque Kalabanté
AFRIQUE EN CIRQUE
Fri, Nov 14
10 am
Grades 1–7
If you missed it last time, now’s your chance! This high-energy circus inspired by the sights and sounds of Guinea features gravity-defying acrobatics set to exhalating percussive rhythms of live Afro-Jazz and West African music.
MORE TO EXPLORE
Donna Washington
A LITTLE SHIVER
Tue, Oct 28
10 am
Grades 3–5
It’s the season for fun, silly, interactive, not-so-scary ghost stories for kids who think they want a ghost story—but not really! Students will build literary skills while being introduced to the world of Swamp Stories in the African American storytelling traditions.
Joshua Lozoff
LIFE IS MAGIC
Fri, Feb 20
10 am
Grades 1–12
This is a magic experience like no other, where students will be amazed by jaw-dropping illusions and mind-reading feats. Along the way, they’ll explore problem solving and the power of human connection—all through laughter and wonder.
TheaterWorksUSA presents
STUNTBOY, In the Meantime
Tue, Mar 17
10 am & 12 pm
Grades 2–5
Based on the award-winning graphic novel by Jason Reynolds and Raúl the Third, this adaptation follows middle-schooler Portico Reeves—aka Stuntboy—whose superpower is keeping everyone safe. Portico’s journey involves confrontations with anxiety and his parents’ looming divorce—exploring how kids process identity, emotional wellness and empathy.
TheaterWorksUSA presents
PETE THE CAT
Mon, Mar 23
10 am & 12 pm
Grades PreK–3
The minute this groovy blue cat meets The Biddles, he gets the whole family rocking. That is, except for young Jimmy—the most organized second grader on planet Earth. Together, they set out in a VW bus on an adventure of friendship that helps Jimmy conquer second great art.
YELLOW BIRD CHASE
Wed, Apr 22
10 am
Grades PreK–6
A bumbling crew, a mysterious yellow bird, and a chase that defies reality launch you into a wild world with no words. Just laughter, wonder, and theatrical magic for all ages, backgrounds, and imaginations.
Student Series Sponsors
Kirk & Lucy Borland
Huisking Foundation
Robert & Mercedes Eichholz Foundation
This project is supported by ArtsAVL, Buncombe County Government, and the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.
