Fantasy Playhouse Children’s Theater & Academy is thrilled to share Matlin Niemann’s promotion to Associate Education Director.
Matlin Niemann is a facilitator, educator, director, and artist. Matlin grew up in a military family and was constantly moving all over the world. She spent her childhood acting and singing in productions at schools and community theaters. Matlin holds a B.A. in both Theatre Education and History Education from the University of Northern Colorado. After graduation Matlin began work in Colorado Springs at Discovery Canyon Campus where she managed a drama program. She directed four-plus shows a year including Frozen, The Secret Garden, Schoolhouse Rock Jr. etc. During her time in Colorado Springs, she facilitated and directed various productions for local community theaters, including her most recent project The Revolutionists at Springs Ensemble Theatre. In 2022 Matlin went to London to receive her M.A. in Applied Theatre: Drama in Educational, Community & Social Contexts from Goldsmiths University of London. During the program Matlin had the opportunity to facilitate a variety of workshops with a diverse set of students from many backgrounds. In London she also worked in a historical house to develop curriculum to bring history to life using theatre. Matlin is new to Huntsville and excited to explore all the community has to offer and to join the FPCTA team!
Fantasy Playhouse Children’s Theater and Academy (FPCTA) provides theatre arts access through production, education and outreach, reaching tens of thousands of residents annually, the majority of whom are children and youth. FPCTA enriches the lives of children and families through theatre and arts education, encouraging students to become self-confident, academically successful, creative-thinking citizens who are more likely to invest in their communities as adults. FPCTA’s core programs include live children’s theatre productions, year-round classes, camps, workshops, private lessons, and educational outreach through after-school classes, touring programs and a workforce development partnership with Alabama A&M University. Recognizing the transformative power theatre arts can have in the life of a child, FPCTA prioritizes theatre arts access for all by engaging local under-resourced and differently-abled communities.
