Creative Kids Playhouse

Quality Theater Education in Orange County

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C.A.T.E. Awards

February 1, 2026
2:00 pm at
Capistrano Valley High School

 

Gala begins at 1:00 PM

Tickets live on December 15th!

What are the C.A.T.E. Awards?

The Children Achieving Theatre Excellence Awards is our largest event of the year designed to both acknowledge our young actors and serve as an annual fundraiser.  Awards are presented with special performances by CKP actors and instructors alike; highlighting shows from the previous season.

Little Red Riding Hood

Sponsor A Student

Contribute to a fund that will be used exclusively to cover student registration, costumes, and personal material cost. This fund enables families with limited funds to learn and grown in their theater education at CKP.  A donation of $150 can cover 50% of costs for a student during a show.

Recommended donation levels:
$75, $150, $300

INSPIRE A CHILD TODAY VIA PAYPAL
News boy standing on a table under lights.

Sponsor A Show

Want to see your name in lights? Sponsoring a CKP show contributes funds for set materials, costumes, makeup, and show operation costs. Plus, you have access to space in the show program to celebrate a student actor, business, or simply a shout out for theater education.

Recommended donation levels:
$500, $1000, $2500

LIGHT UP THE STAGE WITH PAYPAL

Sponsor Theater Education

Creating an amazing theater education experience requires tools and materials. While CKP seeks to provide the best experience with every show, class, and workshop, having the right materials on hand is critical. A donation of $50 can provide makeup materials for an entire Mainstage Players cast.

Recommendation donation levels:
$25, $50, $75

SPONSOR VIA PAYPAL
Silent Auction

Seeking Raffle & Silent Auction Donations

We are now accepting items that will be eligible for our 2024 CATE Awards! Please consider making a tax-deductible donation or trading new products or services for a sponsorship.  Contact Rachael Gafner, rachael@creativekidsplayhouse.com for further information!

Award Details

There are three ways to be honored at the C.A.T.E. Awards.

  1. Directors invite individual actors to perform during the event.
  2. Actors are awarded for achieving a new Thespian level of theater education. What are the Thespian Levels?
  3. Actors receive awards from Director nominations.   See list and descriptions of C.A.T.E. Awards.

The C.A.T.E. Awards celebrates theater excellence. To see past winners visit the Creative Kids Playhouse Hall of Fame

students holding awards on stage with label hall of fame

What our community is saying about us…

A life-changing experience

When I’d spy on my daughter in Kindergarten, she was often in the corner, struggling with her shyness. When the teacher called on her, her answer was a whisper. The first grade teacher gave the same feedback, on her fall report card was the request that she raise her hand more often.  Her first musical in the spring of first grade, The Wizard of Oz, was such a life-changing experience that her grandmother made her a commemorative quilt.  She had a very small part as one of the Yellow Brick Road Crew, a group of twelve kids ranging from grades 1-6. Being a key, valued member of this team that included upper graders was huge. She loved every minute of the production, and discovered a new confidence in herself.  A month later, when the lead of her classroom play announced that he didn’t know his lines, the teacher asked for a volunteer to take his place.  My little girl raised her hand, volunteered, and played the part with joy and confidence. I admit that I cried.

March 30, 2016

Thank You to Our Sponsors & Patrons

The Mecklenburg Family
The Presby Family
The Schmidt Family
Jerry and Erica Sheehy
The Diller Family
Wendy and Dave Bartels
The Kinney-Callaghan Family
Michele Sheehy-Bowren
Elizabeth Ramirez

View more of our sponsors