Kids Curtain Call Builds Confidence and Experience

For Linda Wolowicz, it all started with the ‘Wizard of Oz.’

Her long-time career working with young children started as a simple drama presentation for a Girl Scout fund-raiser.

Now, 38 years later, she is teaching the children of the first children she worked with in her long-time after school business, Kids Curtain Call (KCC) Stage Productions.

“I still keep in contact with a lot of my first students and they keep in contact with me,” she said this week. “My first generation of students will be 50 years old this year. When they’re 10 and you’re 20, it’s a big difference, but now when they’re 50, it’s not such a big deal. There probably isn’t a kid in the area I haven’t taught. Now, I’m teaching the kids of my first kids – a whole second generation.”

Based in Winthrop and Wakefield, KCC primarily serves the areas of Winthrop, Revere, Chelsea and Everett. Wolowicz said she works with young people through drama, but not necessarily to make childhood acting protégés, but for confidence boosting and fun times.

“The whole purpose of Kids Curtain Call is to build confidence in kids,” she said. “I’m not going to make your child a star. I tell people that right when I pick up the phone. However, I teach singing, dancing and acting and the kids gain skills and confidence from their time here. Every child gets a chance here. My program is about giving them a foundation for when they do something else. Everyone needs acting or public speaking in their profession. What lawyer or teacher couldn’t benefit from acting or public performances? We make them go-getters, and if you’re a go-getter, people will notice you. We teach them the ‘it’ factor; that is the foundation and the purpose of Kids Curtain Call.”

KCC serves kids as young as 5 years old and as old as 14.

Wolowicz said her long-time business actually came out of her involvement as a leader in the Girl Scouts. To raise money, she put together a play – which was highly successful.

After it was over, another leader told her she should look into organizing such efforts within the confines of an after-school program.

“I took her advice and 37 years later, here we are, still going strong,” she said.

Kids Curtain Call is taking applications for this year’s program right now. They can be reached on Facebook at Kids Curtain Call or by phone at (617) 480-8119.