Southern Connecticut State University students are taking their work from the classroom to the community through Lion Tales, a new children’s theater production created in partnership with the Shubert Theatre.
Developed through Southern’s Theater 395 practicum, the original show will tour local schools this spring, including Bishop Woods, Hill Central, and Barack H. Obama Magnet School—bringing live, interactive theater directly to young audiences.
The production builds on a growing collaboration between Southern and the Shubert, launched last year to expand arts education across New Haven. Supported by a $1.2 million gift from global tech company ASML, the partnership gives students hands-on experience creating original work while helping bring theater into schools across the city.
Blending humor, bilingual dialogue, and audience participation, Lion Tales was designed with accessibility in mind—reflecting the diverse backgrounds of New Haven Public Schools students. For the cast, it’s also a full-circle moment.
“This is a really good feeling,” said SCSU senior Dahlia Greenberg. “Now we are that for them.”
The project continues to highlight Southern’s role in connecting classroom learning with real-world impact—using the arts to engage, inspire, and build community.
Read the full story: SCSU, Shubert Bring “Lion Tales” To Life
