• enrich, inspire, enliven and delight our customers.
•create "tangible" theater, allowing people to share in a fun group experience.
•accommodate our customers by being affordable, portable, flexible and enjoyable.
•provide G-rated programs, whether or not children are present.
•maintain high moral standards, believing that theater and entertainment can and will influence those watching and those participating.
This mission statement will grow and change with us.
In 1995, Marian Scadden started a theater business under the name FTE Theatre Company. FTE stood for Fairy Tales, Etc.. Because it wasn't just a children’s theater, the name was changed to Creative Works Theatre Company and Entertainment...which was too long and eventually became Cwerks (pronounced “quirks”).
At first the main focus was mime assembly programs in the schools and theater classes for children. As the name changed so did the offerings. Children’s interactive plays based on folk tales were added and both libraries and schools scheduled shows. Other programs combining literature and history were created for the school setting. Later, adults wanted their own shows, so...
...An opportunity came up to write and perform an interactive murder mystery. That first mystery was Incident on the Sea Breeze. Perhaps some of you have played Diana Doom, the victim. Like the children’s shows, Cwerks has peformed murder mysteries all over Oregon and Washington.
Cwerks primarily creates its own scripts. Since 1995, many scripts have been added to both the children’s shows and the murder mysteries, including a two-hour musical. Some of the scripts are for two performers; some are for community groups.
Teaching theater has always been a part of the company. Salem Art Assocation has kept Cwerks the busiest with artist-in-residence and after-school programs.
Eventually, Cwerks added singing telegrams to the repertoire, along with children’s entertainment for birthday parties.
The funnest part of interactive theater—and the toughest—is improvising when the audience does something unexpected; such as, when a child gets so into the play that she starts coming up with a number of new lines, or when an adult gets so into the play that he starts coming up with a number of new lines....hm.
Because Cwerks is an interactive, traveling theatre company, Cwerks performances have rarely taken place on a stage. We’ve performed on the grass, in living rooms, on gym floors, in banquet rooms, on boats, etc.. We prefer it that way; it means we get right there with our audience.
Cwerks has evolved from where it started, but the main job has always been to see you smile and to hear you laugh.
