At Gate City Charter School for the Arts in Merrimack, NH, students don’t just learn, they create, perform, and explore the world through the arts every day. GCCSA is a public charter school serving Kindergarten through 8th grade, with a mission to blend creativity with academic learning and cultivate curiosity, confidence, and collaboration in every student. Arts integration isn’t just a program here; it’s at the heart of how students understand the world and express themselves.

This spring, our 5th–8th graders are bringing the beloved musical Matilda Jr. to life, a story of bravery, imagination, and the power of being boldly yourself. Unlike a classroom assignment, this performance offers kids the opportunity to develop real-world skills such as teamwork, discipline, public speaking, and creative problem-solving. It’s a chance for them to expand their confidence and self-expression on a stage filled with music, movement, and magic, while strengthening community bonds as families, friends, and neighbors gather to celebrate what these young performers have accomplished.

To make this production the best it can be, we are asking for your support. As a public charter school, our arts programming operates on a very limited budget, and the cost of professional lighting and sound equipment is quite high. These elements are essential to ensuring students can be clearly seen and heard, and to creating the immersive theater experience they have worked so hard to achieve. With your support, we can rent stage lights that elevate the production’s visual impact, secure sound equipment that supports our student performers, and build future opportunities in theater tech and production for our middle schoolers. Every dollar brings our young stars closer to their spotlight. Whether you donate, share this story with friends, or cheer from the audience, you’re helping our creative community grow. Thank you for believing in the power of the arts and supporting Gate City Charter School for the Arts! Together, we can make Matilda Jr. a shining success!