Imagination will often carry us to worlds that never were, but without it we go nowhere. - Albert Einstein
We would like to extend our sincere thanks
to the following organizations for their generous support of Magic Carpet Theatre.
Founder & Artistic Director
Catherine Zardus
Our mission is to bring top quality literature to life in
a readers theatre style which
will inspire the imaginations
of children and
promote literacy.
In 1991 a friend from the Attic Theatre asked me to put a show together for the Michigan Reading Association’s Convention at the Grand Hotel. I had a week. When 500 teachers saw the performance and wanted it for their school…I had a career. It has been a privilege to serve the children of Michigan and be a catalyst for their education. Our work truly is a joy for us! We get to do what we love; interpret wonderful literature that is rich with meaning, exercise a pure form of theatre with emphasis on text and performers (we just bring a bag of books, a scarf, and a couple of hats) and inspire kids to read and write. Our own kids grew up on Magic Carpet Theatre. They watched as we rehearsed each story and then enjoyed soup with the actors right at our kitchen table. We epitomized homegrown theatre, where kids and even the dog would jump around with the “wild things” during rehearsals! Magic Carpet Theatre grew up too.
In 2008, we became an educational non-profit, and with more community support than ever, have performed in hundreds of schools and libraries across Michigan. In fact, we have performed for over 200,000! It is our hope to continue to promote literacy and help children realize the power of their imagination. We invite you to become part of our exciting story. We encourage you to consider sponsoring a performance at a school or library or by making a donation to thank a favorite teacher or educator who inspired you to read!