Chicago Children’s Theatre Appoints Sam Mauceri Inclusive Education and Programs Manager
Chicago Children’s Theatre has announced the appointment of Sam Mauceri (they/them/theirs) to a new full-time staff position: Inclusive Education and Programs Manager.
Mauceri’s responsibilities include creating and ensuring an open and inclusive environment for all education programming at Chicago Children’s Theatre, including its full, year-round roster of performing arts classes and camps for children 0 to 18.
The new position also has a focus on expanding CCT’s popular Red Kite Program for children on the autism spectrum. In addition, Mauceri will work to make all CCT programs accessible to children with disabilities. They also will help guide integrating appropriate EDI (Equity, Diversity and Inclusion) best practices in all of CCT’s public programs on stage, behind-the-scenes, with audience members of all ages and with Chicago’s live theater community at large. “In my new role at Chicago Children’s Theatre, I am thrilled to support our dedicated community of students and families, while working to expand our offerings to serve even more young people on the autism spectrum across Chicago,” said Mauceri. “I believe that the arts must be for everyone, and I can’t think of a better way to enact that belief than by working to develop the reach and scope of the Red Kite Program. It is such an honor to build upon the excellence of this inclusive programming and to reimagine it for the next decade and beyond.”
“We are grateful to The Ralla Klepak Trust for the Performing Arts for funding this newly created position,” said Dexter Ellis, director of Education and Community Programs, Chicago Children’s Theatre. “With their support, we are able to welcome an amazing new teaching artist and administrator to our staff. Their impact as an ambassador for all youth in Chicago will be paramount as we start reopening our doors to students and audiences for in-person learning and live entertainment at Chicago Children’s Theatre.”
Mauceri (they/them/theirs) is a theater educator and artist with a passion for creating accessible spaces for students and young audiences. They come to Chicago Children’s Theatre after serving two years as School Matinee Series coordinator at Goodman Theatre. In addition to welcoming thousands of Chicago high school students to see Goodman productions each year, they co-taught in PlayBuild, the Goodman’s summer youth devising intensive, and co-created and currently co-teach Strike! The Youth Political Theatre Project. Originally from the Washington DC area, Mauceri were previously the Master Instructor of Early Childhood Education and teaching artist at Imagination Stage, a teaching artist with Young Playwrights’ Theater, and the music teacher at Wesley Nursery School. Alongside teaching drama to young people, they also provide professional development for educators in arts integration, creating accessible and inclusive drama classrooms, and facilitating trans-positive learning spaces. As a director and playwright, their work has been produced in Chicago and DC.
