This extraordinary 19 year old theater and education program teaches homeless children an original technique to develop their imaginations, inspires them to dream of what they would like to be in the future, and shows them the specific life and educational choices they must make today in order to achieve their dream for the future. In the process, the children's reading, writing and presentation skills improve, and they learn how and why it is important to be a leader and contributor to society.

The Art Exhibit

The Actors Theatre Workshop maintains a permanent art exhibit of spectacularly moving and imaginative works that homeless children have created over the last 19 years in the Builders of the New World Program. Armed with paper, crayons and writing tablets, the children look into future and explore age-old issues of violence and peace, freedom and responsibility, justice and compassion.

Participating in the art exhibit provides the children with valuable educational skills and a sense of ownership of one of New York City's leading cultural institutions at a time when they are expressing instability in their lives. This exhibit and The Builders of the New World represent one element of the Actors Theatre Workshop's overarching mission of using theatre to address the conflicts of the community, reveal new insights and bring forth hope.

The Actors Theatre Workshop... where creativity welcomes the future

Founded over two decades ago by Thurman E. Scott, The Actors Theatre Workshop is an established pioneer in non-profit theatre that helps individuals to develop their potential through studying original theatre and education techniques, produces classical and contemporary plays and films that maintain the highest artistic standards, and develops new dramatic works that examine the social issues of the day.

Thurman E. Scott is the Artistic Director, Executive Producer and Founder of The Actors Theatre Workshop. An award winning actor, director, writer and teacher of acting and creative process, Mr. Scott has dedicated his life to helping others develop their gifts as individuals and fulfill their unique creative potential.