IGNITE THEATRE COMPANY
Overview
Expert Summary
Detailed Insights
Ignite Theatre Company distinguishes itself by prioritizing character development, community service, and leadership skills ('create great people first, great performers second') alongside theatrical training. It offers an exceptionally inclusive environment with specific accommodations like sensory-friendly performances for families with special needs, and provides varied opportunities from onstage acting to backstage work and student mentoring roles.
Key Highlights
- ✓Every child is treated with respect and encouraged to be themselves.
- ✓Shows are all age appropriate.
- ✓Opportunities to work both onstage or backstage.
- ✓Strong emphasis on service, inclusivity, and student leadership.
- ✓Every production includes community service projects that kids help research, plan, and execute.
- ✓Mentoring opportunities for student directors, choreographers, and set designers.
- ✓Creates an atmosphere where children always feel safe, welcome, and valued.
- ✓Directors celebrate each performer and model their SPARK philosophy in every interaction.
- ✓Children enjoy both rehearsals and performances.
- ✓Offers theatre camps.
Standout Features
- ⭐Robust community service program tied to every performance, teaching the value of giving back.
- ⭐Comprehensive student leadership opportunities, including mentoring for directors, choreographers, and set designers.
- ⭐Sensory-friendly performances specifically designed for families with special needs.
- ⭐Strong focus on personal growth and character development ('create great people first, great performers second').
- ⭐Offers theatre camps as an alternative to full productions.
- ⭐Employs a 'SPARK philosophy' that celebrates each performer individually.
Perfect For
Ideal For
Price & Value
Not mentioned in reviews.
♿Accessibility & Special Needs
- •Offers 'sensory friendly performances' as a 'gift to the St. Louis community' for families with special needs, allowing them to enjoy shows without worrying about disruption.
- •Described as a 'wonderful inclusive company that welcomes all families into the SPARK family'.
🛡️Safety Features
- •Creates an atmosphere where children 'always feel safe, welcome, and valued' through an emphasis on respect and inclusivity.
- •Every child is treated with respect and encouraged to be themselves.
Pricing/Package/Events
Pricing & Packages
Girl Power I – Ignite Your Inner Star
$190Duration: 10 Weeks
High-energy musical theatre class. Students sing, dance, and act through scenes and songs from shows like Matilda and Junie B. Jones. Focus on building confidence, creativity, and teamwork. Includes musical theatre skills, empowering stories, teamwork & creativity, and a final showcase.
Includes:
- •Musical Theatre Skills
- •Empowering Stories
- •Teamwork & Creativity
- •Final Showcase
Girl Power II – Bold & Fearless
$210Duration: 10 Weeks
Designed for performers ready to dive deep into empowering stories and strong, bold characters. Explores advanced musical theatre material from shows like & Juliet, Mamma Mia, Mean Girls, and more. Focuses on female-driven narratives that celebrate confidence, courage, and resilience. Open to all genders who are inspired by strong female stories. Includes character development, vocal technique, acting skills, teamwork, and movement/choreography.
Includes:
- •Character Development
- •Vocal Technique
- •Acting Skills
- •Teamwork
- •Movement/Choreography
Arts4ALL Musical Theatre – Every Voice Center Stage
$200Duration: 13 Weeks
Joyful, inclusive class for neurodiverse students and those who benefit from additional support. Explores musical theatre through music, movement, and storytelling in a safe, structured, and affirming environment. Culminates in a low-pressure sharing opportunity. Peer buddies participate weekly.
Includes:
- •Music
- •Movement
- •Storytelling
- •Peer buddy support
- •Low-pressure sharing opportunity
Foundations 1: Intro to Musical Theatre Dance
$240Duration: 10 weeks
Focuses on mastering choreography, refining technique, and building confidence in a supportive environment. For dancers at any level.
Includes:
- •Choreography
- •Technique
- •Confidence building
Foundations II: The Next Step in Musical Theatre Dance
$240Duration: 10 weeks
For students who have completed Foundations I or have prior dance experience. Builds on fundamentals to strengthen technique, expand vocabulary, and improve conditioning. Focuses on stronger technical foundation, increased flexibility and control, greater confidence in choreography, and deeper understanding of dance terminology.
Includes:
- •Stronger technical foundation
- •Increased flexibility and control
- •Greater confidence in choreography
- •Deeper understanding of dance terminology
Audition Edge
$175Duration: 6 Weeks
Focused class to equip young performers with tools, techniques, and confidence for auditions. Covers selecting material, making a strong first impression, mock auditions with individualized feedback. Students learn to choose appropriate material, prepare with purpose, slate with confidence, break down audition notices, handle cold reads & sides, and present with poise.
Includes:
- •Mock auditions
- •Individualized feedback
- •Material selection
- •Slating
- •Cold reads
- •Stage presence
Events & Schedule
Special Events(Last 2 months - Next 6 months)
Hairspray (Winter Production)
December 5-7 (The Grandel Theater) and Arts4All performance on Saturday, December 2nd, 12pm
Pay-what-you-can for Arts4All performance; general ticketing not specified
All-ages winter production of HAIRSPRAY! A timely, high-energy musical bringing together youth performers, seasoned adults, and families. Story celebrates standing up for what’s right, breaking down barriers, and embracing your true self. Set in 1962 Baltimore, follows Tracy Turnblad's dream of dancing on a TV show and sparking change.
Beetlejuice Jr. CAMP Performances
June 13/14 & July 17/18
Not specified
Hilariously spooky adventure with a recently deceased couple, Lydia Deetz, and Beetlejuice. Camp gives young performers the chance to bring a fan-favorite musical to life in just one week. (Note: Camp is currently full, email for waitlist).
Legally Blonde (Senior Summer Production)
July 25-27
Not specified
Elle Woods' journey to Harvard Law, packed with catchy songs, hilarious characters, and a message of self-confidence and perseverance. Perfect for teen performers.
SECRET ALL Ages Show
December 4–7 at the Grandel Theater (Auditions: September 9)
Not specified
A high-energy, feel-good musical full of big dreams and unforgettable dances, celebrating standing up for what's right and embracing your true self. (This is the Winter Show for 2025).
Annie Auditions
January 3rd and 4th (Auditions), Sunday, January 3 (Callbacks by invitation only)
Not specified
Auditions for the full Broadway production of Annie, open to performers ages 5-21. Auditioners prepare 16-32 bar song cut(s), character monologue, and a short dance combination taught at auditions.
Annie Performances
April 2-4 at The Grandel Theater
Production fee of $390 required for performers
Full Broadway production, not Annie Jr. Set during the Great Depression, tells the story of an optimistic orphan, Annie, and her journey with Oliver Warbucks. Focuses on hope, courage, and determination. (Content warning: mild depictions of child neglect, mistreatment, and poverty).
IEPT JTF West Pre-show Performance
December 5
Not applicable
Pre-show performance by the IEPT members.
Junior Theatre Festival (JTF) West
February 5-8, 2026
$1,500 per team member (covers travel, lodging, registration fees)
A premier event for young performers, bringing together thousands of youth theatre groups to celebrate their work, participate in workshops, and showcase skills in front of industry professionals.
IEPT Legally Blonde Pre-show Performance
August 8
Not applicable
Pre-show performance by the IEPT members for Legally Blonde.
IEPT Pool Party & Cast Reveal
August 12
Not applicable
Team building and cast announcement event for IEPT members.
🛡️Safety Policy
- • Audience members are welcome to bring their own comfort items (seat cushions, fidgets, comfort objects) to Arts4All performances.
- • Students are expected to arrive on time, dressed appropriately for movement, and ready to participate fully in classes.
- • Respect for instructors, fellow students, and the learning environment is required at all times.
- • Families will be contacted if behavioral or attendance concerns arise.
- • Annie show contains mild depictions of child neglect, mistreatment, and poverty, including scenes of orphans being disciplined. Parental discretion and guidance are recommended.
📅Booking Policy
- • All students must be registered in advance for the full session of any class.
- • Drop-in participation is not allowed for any classes or workshops.
- • Consistent attendance is expected for student growth and group success.
- • Specific accommodations or buffer seating for Arts4All performances should be requested in advance.
What People Say
Areas for Improvement
- Parking can be challenging (mentioned in 2 reviews)
Recent Reviews
Ashley Rene Casey
4 months agoFantastic youth theatre company! Every child is treated with respect and encouraged to be themselves. The shows are all age appropriate, with opportunities to work both onstage or backstage. Ignite is a great place for kids to cut their teeth in theatre and grow as a person and performer. My son has been a part of main stage productions and the performance team and has enjoyed both. Highly recommend, especially for the theatre curious kiddos. 😊
马凤洁
a month agoGreat experience!! My kid enjoyed all the rehearsals and performances! Can’t wait to attend more camps like this!
Heather McPherson
4 years agoMy daughter has been involved with Ignite for three years now and I don’t know why it never occurred to me to review them before! We love their emphasis on service, inclusivity, and student leadership. Every production they have community service projects that the kids help research, plan, and execute, and they help mentor student directors, choreographers, set designers, etc. They talk a lot about their mission to “create great people first, great performers second,” and they truly enact it. It makes for an atmosphere where my daughter always feels safe, welcome, and valued.
Katie French
4 years agoIgnite Theater Company produces fantastic children’s theatre but it is so much more. The directors at Ignite celebrate each performer and model their SPARK philosophy in every interaction. Through this company, my children have participated in service projects and had multiple opportunities for leadership. They have grown as people and as performers. I can’t speak highly enough about Ignite!
Rodney and Tricia Harrison
4 years agoIgnite Theater Company is a place for anyone who loves to perform and shine! I love that every performance ties to a service project to benefit the community and each performer learns the value of giving back. The sensory friendly performances are a gift to the St. Louis community so families with special needs can come and enjoy a performance without worrying their family member may disrupt the show. It is a wonderful inclusive company that welcomes all families into the SPARK family!