PTW MISSION

Performers Theatre Workshop’s mission is to provide the highest caliber of performing arts education to students of all ages and abilities, and to foster individual growth in a caring, supportive artistic community. We are located in Maplewood, NJ and have students from Essex, Morris and Union County - and throughout the state.

In order to accomplish this mission, Performers Theatre Workshop:

  • Provides a warm, safe environment where students feel encouraged to take risks and grow.
  • Surrounds students with expert, conservatory trained teachers who have extensive high level professional credits to serve as both teachers and mentors who encourage students to reach for high standards and their personal best.
  • Creates a positive, fun environment where friendships and love for the arts grow and flourish.
  • Builds each student’s self-confidence on and off stage.
  • Carefully places each individual student in classes appropriate to his or her age, level and experience.
  • Designs customized courses of study to meet a student’s individual needs and goals.
  • Builds a framework for students to develop focus, responsibility and a strong work ethic.
  • Fosters a sense of community and teamwork in a non-competitive environment where people strive to do their best while supporting and encouraging their peers.
  • Provides a variety of unique performance opportunities for students to demonstrate the new skills they have mastered.
  • Creates musical arrangements and harmonies customized to fit the range and ability of individual performers.
  • Celebrates the growth and accomplishments of all students.

About Performers Theatre Workshop
 

Our Objectives

Discovering the full potential that exists within each person is what we are striving for at PTW.

Creating a warm, supportive and culturally rich environment where every person can feel good about themselves as they grow through creative expression.

Selecting people on our staff with whom we can entrust our ideals. These are outstanding and gifted artists who are currently working in their respective fields and wish to share their expertise and love for the theatre with others.

Challenging each student is an important part of the PTW ideal, and the program is designed for the individual to accelerate at his own pace. Thus, the flexibility of class placement is primarily based on ability rather than age.

Building a positive influence on a child's future is a key concern at PTW.

Regardless of ability or choice of course, we recognize our responsibility to help each person to acquire not only the given skills, but to build the inner resources of self-confidence and self-worth.

 PTW dance
Our History

Established in 1984 by Esther and Howard Kravitz, Juilliard graduates and longtime educators and performers who drove all over New Jersey and Manhattan to give their two children all the lessons young performers require, PTW is designed to meet every students performing needs "under one roof." With outstanding instruction, performance opportunities, and genuine caring, PTW quickly became an intregal part of many students' lives, and has often been called "my theatre home" by many of the PTW students.

 Howard and Esther Kravitz

Howard and Esther Kravitz

In its 26 years of existence, the Performers Theatre Workshop (PTW) has increased its student enrollment more than ten times over, and at present is acclaimed as one of the foremost performing arts schools in New Jersey and in the entire New York metropolitan area. Conveniently located in Maplewood, NJ, we attract students from Essex, Morris and Union County, and throughout the state, 

"The most exciting part of our history", says musical director Dean Kravitz, "is that PTW alumni have become successful in all aspects of life, in many diverse professions, and have attributed much of their success whether in theatre or outside of theatre to the training, work ethic, and self-confidence they received at PTW".
 

Adding to PTW's popularity is the relaxed, noncompetitive environment of the school. "Because of this," says Artistic Director Howard Kravitz, "our students create many new friendships with other students who share their love for theatre, and find themselves acquiring a whole new set of 'acting friends.' Many have commented on the true sense of family at PTW that they did not experience in other performing arts programs. Said one student, "Everyone works together to make the whole performance better, and everyone is made to feel important at PTW."