Carousel Players

About Carousel Players

Carousel Players is one of Canada’s oldest and most respected professional theatre for young audience companies. Founded in 1972, Carousel has performed more than 220 productions to over 2.8 million children, youth and families predominantly.

Carousel Players is committed to the development of new work and the production of theatre that entertains and challenges young audiences. We have presented inspiring and creative plays for children in schools, theatres, and other venues for over 50 years across Niagara and globally.

At Carousel Players, we have seen first-hand how live theatre helps children develop artistic awareness, learn vital life skills, and develop a sense of well-being. We ensure that our performances, summer theatre camps, and classroom programs are affordable for all children regardless of their socio-economic status or situation.

Carousel Players was founded in 1972 by the late Desmond Davis, a Professor of Drama at Brock University in St. Catharines. Des and his wife Faye came to Canada from Australia and created a theatre to serve youth in Niagara. Carousel has had six other Artistic Directors since its inception: Duncan McGregor, Pierre Tetrault, Kim Selody, Pablo Felices-Luna, Jessica Carmichael, and Monica Dufault.

The name for the company is inspired by one of Canada’s oldest carousels in nearby Port Dalhousie, where you can still enjoy a ride for just a nickel.

We regularly perform in schools, community venues, and performing arts centres across Southern Ontario. We have also toured nationally to theatres and festivals in Ottawa, Montreal, Winnipeg, Calgary, Saskatoon, and Vancouver. Our award-winning plays have toured as far away as England and Japan.

Our plays have been nominated for 14 Dora Awards in the Theatre for Young Audiences (TYA) category. We received Dora Awards for Dinosaurs & All the Rubbish in 1993 and Patty’s Cake in 2003. Carousel Players received the 2003 Canada Council for the Arts for Theatre for Young Audiences Prize for Patty’s Cake, the Great Grants Award from Ontario Trillium Foundation in 2005, the Lieutenant Governor’s Award for the Arts in 1997, the Innovation in the Arts Award from the City of St. Catharines in 2009 for our Niagara Artists in the Classroom program and the inaugural Arts in Education Award from the City of St. Catharines.

Visit Website