The Plano Children's Theatre performs "Peter Pan" at the Courtyard Theater. The city-funded venue is home to many local arts and civic groups.[/caption]

Plano Children's Theatre founder Sara Akers and board president Darrell Rodenbaugh have worked closely together over the years to help grow the theatre group.[/caption]

The North Texas Performing Arts’ Plano Children’s Theatre has found a new home at The Shops at Willow Bend. The theater group announced Oct. 20 that it will relocate its headquarters next spring from 1301 Custer Road.

The new tenant will be an early highlight to the mall’s $100 million redevelopment plan, which includes a new entry point and a collection of up to eight new restaurants. The redesign and expansion also includes a seven-story, 200,000-square-foot office tower, entertainment venues and additional retail outlets.

The expansion is scheduled to open in phases from 2017 through 2019.

“As the next era for Willow Bend and Plano, this family attraction furthers our mall as a destination for the entire Metroplex,” Barry Smith, general manager for The Shops at Willow Bend, said in a news release. “NTPA and Plano Children’s Theatre are an important part of our city’s cultural landscape, and we’re honored that they have chosen to make us their new home.”

The announcement also coincides with NTPA’s 25th anniversary. Founded in 1991 in Plano, the organization has since expanded its offerings to McKinney and Frisco. As the largest youth arts organization in North Texas, the NTPA provides arts opportunities for ages 3 to 18 years old and specializes in arts education and family entertainment. NTPA and PCT use the arts to help children and young adults develop lifelong learning, creativity, communication skills, teamwork, integrity and good citizenship, said Sara Akers, founder and executive director for NTPA.

The theater's new location will include four performance spaces, six rehearsal spaces, a set build and costume shop and will occupy approximately 22,000 square feet of space on the upper level near Dillard’s.

"The Willow Bend Center for the Arts will provide a learning lab for all North Texas youth to learn important performing arts and life skills through the arts.” Akers said in the release. “When we created this vision 25 years ago, our hope was to expand to allow any child anywhere the opportunity to take the stage.”

For more information about North Texas Performing Arts, visit www.planochildrenstheatre.org or call 972-422-2575.