20 Years Of Inspired Learning

Enrichment Works founder, Abraham Tetenbaum, saw the need for dramatic improvement in education when his son started public school in Los Angeles. Tetenbaum, a writer with Broadway and television credits, asked friends to join him in creating “theater to inspire learning”and in 1999 Enrichment Works was incorporated as a nonprofit organization. The organization has now produced over 65 plays and musicals. These shows have been performed at over 500 schools and reached over 600,000 youth. All this in service of the mission “to create and present professional theater to inspire learning.”

As Enrichment Works’ circle of playwrights and performers has grown wider, a more interactive and culturally responsive style has taken shape. In addition to schools and plays addressing the content standards, the organization has partnered with libraries, museums, and community groups promoting tolerance, gun safety, healthy nutrition, animal welfare and financial literacy.

“Wow! Wow! Wow! That was the most fun we had all year! Everyone loved it! The cast was wonderful and very funny!” — 2nd Grade Teacher”

History Highlights

  • The organization, along with Board Member Hector Elizondo, was honored in 2006 by the Valley Interfaith Council with its Human Relations Award for Entertainment Leadership, earning commendations from every level of government.
  • In 2008 Enrichment Works was given the “Access to Excellence” award from the National Endowment for the Arts.
  • In 2017 Enrichment Works won a California State Library grant as part of the California Civil Liberties Public Education Program to produce the play “Shizzy’s Story” based on the true life story of an LAUSD principal whose family spent three years in Japanese American internment camps during WWII. This play was performed 87 times at schools and libraries throughout Los Angeles County during the 2017/18 school year.
  • Since its beginning, Enrichment Works has provided performances to LAUSD’s after school Youth Development Program (YDP), which provides free care at 140 of our most underserved schools.
  • For three years Enrichment Works worked in middle schools through a partnership with Northridge Community Hospital Medical Center (NCHMC), producing eight short plays on topics related to teen sexuality and training peer educators in improvisation, incorporating improvised scenes into the curriculum.
  • Also with NCHMC through their School-based Obesity and Diabetes Initiative, the musicals “Food for Thought” and “Food for Thought 2” were created in partnership with the Network for a Healthy California and through their program reached over 85,000 students.
  • Enrichment Works has long-term partnership with County of Los Angeles Public Libraries. Enrichment Works was hired to perform plays that promote cultural awareness at every single county library in June 2018, we successfully completed all 84 performances in just one month!
  • Enrichment Works is a member of the LAUSD Arts Partnership Network (formed in 2016) and was awarded a contract through the Arts Education Branch to bring our programs to LAUSD schools that receive little or no arts education programming.

0+
PROGRAMS PRODUCED
0K+
STUDENTS SERVED
0+
SCHOOLS SERVED
0M+
PAYMENTS TO ARTISTS

20 Years of Original Programming!

A list of Enrichment Works productions offered to schools each year.

(Bold print = new production that year)

1999

  • Deborah Sampson: In the Character of a Soldier By Abraham Tetenbaum
  • Relatively Speaking: A Visit with Albert Einstein By Ian Patrick Williams
  • People of the First Light By Jose Andrews

2000

  • Deborah Sampson: In the Character of a Soldier By Abraham Tetenbaum
  • Helen Keller By Joan Schaeffer
  • I Touch the Future By Chris Jorie
  • My Friend Shakespeare By Jean Gaskill
  • Mythos By Ruben Garfias
  • People of the First Light By Jose Andrews
  • Raiders of the Lost Tomb By Ian Patrick Williams
  • Relatively Speaking By Ian Patrick Williams

2001

  • A World of Folktales By Beret K. Malmgren
  • Mythos By Ruben Garfias
  • Voyage of Odysseus By Joshua Feinman
  • Flamenco Forever By Lucy Vargas
  • My Friend Shakespeare By Jean Gaskill
  • People of the First Light By Jose R. Andrews
  • Ishi By Abraham Tetenbaum
  • Go Girl Go By Cynthia L. Cooper
  • Piano Masters By John Towey
  • Raiders of the Lost Tomb By Ian Patrick Williams
  • Relatively Speaking: A Visit with Albert Einstein By Ian Patrick Williams
  • Matty: Oldtime Baseball with Christy Mathewson By Eddie Frierson
  • Deborah Sampson: In the Character of a Soldier By Abraham Tetenbaum
  • Helen Keller By Joan Schaeffer
  • I Touch the Future By Chris Jorie
  • Spirit In My Soul By Chris Jorie

2002

  • A World of Folktales By Beret K. Malmgren
  • Mythos By Ruben Garfias
  • Eco-Slam: Clean World Wrestling By Ian Patrick Williams
  • Voyage of Odysseus By Joshua Feinman
  • Ishi By Abraham Tetenbaum
  • Flamenco Forever By Lucy Vargas
  • My Friend Shakespeare By Jean Gaskill
  • Gold Rush Honeymoon By Sweet Betsy
  • Piano Masters By John Towey
  • A Lovely Light By Karen Wescotts
  • Always Going Up By Dawn Grabowski
  • Raiders of the Lost Tomb By Ian Patrick Williams
  • Relatively Speaking: A Visit with Albert Einstein By Ian Patrick Williams
  • The Answers to Every Test By Abraham Tetenbaum
  • Muslim-American By Cynthia L. Cooper & Shakir Farsakh
  • Poe, the Poet By Edgar Allan Poe
  • Spirit In My Soul By Chris Jorie
  • Matty By Eddie Frierson
  • Deborah Sampson: In The Character of a Soldier By Abraham Tetenbaum

2003

  • A World of Folktales By Beret K. Malmgren
  • Aesop’s Fables By Cy Young
  • Always Going Up By Dawn Grabowski
  • The Answers to Every Test By Abraham Tetenbaum
  • Bessie Coleman By Chris Hart
  • Dangerous Games By Mary Alice Mark
  • Deborah Sampson: In the Character of a Soldier By Abraham Tetenbaum
  • Eco-Slam: Clean World Wrestling By Ian Patrick Williams
  • Flamenco Forever By Lucy Vargas
  • Food for Thought By Ian Patrick Williams
  • Gold Rush Honeymoon By Sweet Betsy
  • Matty: Oldtime Baseball with Christy Mathewson By Eddie Frierson
  • Muslim-American By Cynthia L. Cooper
  • Mythos By Ruben Garfias
  • Piano Masters By John Towey
  • Poe, the Poet By Edgar Allan Poe
  • Raiders of the Lost Tomb By Ian Patrick Williams
  • Relatively Speaking: A Visit with Albert Einstein By Ian Patrick Williams
  • Spirit In My Soul By Chris Jorie
  • Voyage of Odysseus By Joshua Feinman
  • Wandering Minstrel By Kenny Klein

2004

  • Aesop’s Fables By CY Young
  • Bessie Coleman By Chris Hart
  • Gold Rush Honeymoon By Genevieve Hain
  • Relatively Speaking: A Visit with Albert Einstein By Ian Patrick Williams
  • Spirit In My Soul By Chris Jorie
  • Brave Little Nell By Laurie Strawn
  • Deborah Sampson: In the Character of a Soldier By Abraham Tetenbaum
  • Eco-Slam: Clean World Wrestling By Ian Patrick Williams
  • Matty: Oldtime Baseball with Christy Mathewson By Eddie Frierson
  • Mythos II By Ruben Garfias
  • Piano Masters II By John Towey
  • Tales of Four Seasons By Nicole Hoelle
  • Voyage of Odysseus By Joshua Feinman
  • Wandering Minstrel By Kenny Klein
  • Wild Africa By Gregory Humphreys
  • Food For Thought By Ian Patrick Williams
  • Poe, the Poet By Edgar Allan Poe
  • Ghost of the Frontier By Willard Simms
  • Raiders of the Lost Tomb By Ian Patrick Williams

2005

  • A Doggone Musical By Ian Patrick Williams, Abraham Tetenbaum& Norman L. Berman
  • Aesop’s Fables By CY Young
  • Brave Little Nell By Laurie Strawn
  • Deborah Sampson: In the Character of a Soldier By Abraham Tetenbaum
  • Dinosaur Wars By Myles Nye
  • Eco-Slam: Clean World Wrestling By Ian Patrick Williams
  • Food For Thought By Ian Patrick Williams
  • Ghost of the Frontier By Willard Simms
  • Globalloonacy By Addi Somekh
  • Gold Rush Honeymoon By Genevieve Hain
  • Heartbeat of the World By Shantell Herndon
  • Johnny and Sally Ann By Tom Smith
  • Matty By Eddie Frierson
  • Mythos By Ruben Garfias
  • Raiders of the Lost Tomb By Ian Patrick Williams
  • Relatively Speaking: A Visit with Albert Einstein By Ian Patrick Williams
  • Sor Juana By Cynthia L. Cooper (Grades 4-8.)
  • Spirit In My Soul By Chris Jorie
  • Tales of Four Seasons By J. Nicole Hoelle
  • Voyage of Odysseus By Joshua Feinman
  • Wandering Minstrel By Kenny Klein
  • Wild Africa By Gregory Humphreys

2006

  • A Doggone Musical By Ian Patrick Williams, Norman L. Berman and Abraham Tetenbaum
  • Aesop’s Fables By Cy Young
  • Deborah Sampson: In the Character of a Soldier By Abraham Tetenbaum
  • Degas and the Dancer By Ian Patrick Williams
  • Dinosaur Wars By Myles Nye
  • Food For Thought By Ian Patrick Williams
  • Freedom Child By Bernadette McAllister
  • Globalloonacy By Addi Somekh
  • Gold Rush Honeymoon By Genevieve Hain
  • Johnny and Sally Ann By Tom Smith
  • Matty: Oldtime Baseball with Christy Mathewson By Eddie Frierson
  • Mythos I & II By Ruben Garfia
  • Native Beginnings By Willard Simms
  • Pirates! By Kenny Klein
  • Rosie By Adriana Rogers
  • Sor Juana By Cynthia L. Cooper
  • Spirit In My Soul By Chris Jorie
  • Voyage of Odysseus By Joshua Feinman
  • Wild Africa By Gregory Humphreys
  • Relatively Speaking: A Visit with Albert Einstein By Ian Patrick Williams

2007

  • A Doggone Musical By Ian Patrick Williams, Abraham Tetenbaum & Norman L. Berman
  • Aesop’s Fables By Cy Young
  • A Songwriting Lesson from Irving Berlin By Abraham Tetenbaum
  • Deborah Sampson: In the Character of a Soldier By Abraham Tetenbaum
  • Degas and the Dancer By Ian Patrick Williams
  • Dinosaur Wars By Myles Nye
  • Food For Thought By Ian Patrick Williams
  • Freedom Child By Bernadette McAllister
  • John Fremont: The Pathfinder By Tom Smith
  • Johnny and Sally Ann By Tom Smith
  • Matty: Oldtime Baseball with Christy Mathewson By Eddie Frierson
  • Mythos I & II By Ruben Garfia
  • Miss Mitchell’s Comet By Jane Carpenter
  • The Money Mon$ter By Abraham Tetenbaum & Norman L. Berman
  • Native Beginnings By Willard Simms
  • Pirates! By Kenny Klein
  • Rosie By Adriana Rogers
  • Sor Juana By Cynthia L. Cooper
  • Spirit In My Soul By Chris Jorie
  • Voyage of Odysseus By Joshua Feinman
  • Wild Africa By Gregory Humphreys

2008

  • A Songwriting Lesson from Irving Berlin By Abraham Tetenbaum
  • John Fremont: The Pathfinder By Tom L. Smith
  • A Doggone Musical By Ian Patrick Williams, Abraham Tetenbaum & Norman L. Berman
  • Aesop’s Fables By Cy Young
  • Deborah Sampson By Abraham Tetenbaum
  • Degas and the Dancer By Ian Patrick Williams
  • Dinosaur Wars By Myles Nye
  • Food For Thought By Ian Patrick Williams, Norman L. Berman & Abraham Tetenbaum
  • Matty By Eddie Frierson
  • Miss Mitchell’s Comet By Jane Carpenter
  • The Money Mon$ter By Abraham Tetenbaum and Norman L. Berman
  • Native Beginnings By Willard Simms
  • The No-Sex Mega-Plex (Risky Behaviors By Tom Smith; An About Face By Adriana Rogers; The STIs By Ian Patrick Williams; Camping By Chelsea Hackett; Reality T.V. By David Prather; Nino and the Principal’s Daughter By Joyce Lee; Genital Knowledge By Myles Nye; Peer and Press By Christopher Hart)
  • Pirates! By Kenny Klein
  • Rosie By Adriana Rogers
  • Sor Juana By Cynthia L. Cooper
  • Spirit In My Soul By Chris Jorie
  • Thirsty City By Willard Simms
  • Voyage of Odysseus By Joshua Feinman
  • Wild Africa By Gregory Humphrey
  • The Money Mon$ter By Abraham Tetenbaum & Norman L. Berman
  • Food For Thought 2: The Message Comes Home By Ian Patrick Williams, Abraham Tetenbaum & Norman L. Berman (Grades 1-5.)

2009

  • A Songwriting Lesson from Irving Berlin By Abraham Tetenbaum
  • Aesop’s Fables By Cy Young
  • Deborah Sampson: In the Character of a Soldier By Abraham Tetenbaum
  • Food For Thought 2: The Message Comes Home By Ian Patrick Williams, Abraham Tetenbaum & Norman L. Berman
  • Freedom Child By Bernadette McAllister
  • How She Played the Game By Cynthia L. Cooper
  • John Fremont: The Pathfinder By Tom L. Smith
  • Matty By Eddie Frierson
  • Miss Mitchell’s Comet By Jane Carpenter
  • The Money Mon$ter By Abraham Tetenbaum & Norman L. Berman
  • Native Beginnings By Willard Simms
  • No. 21: The Dreams of Roberto Clemente By Desi Moreno-Penson
  • The No-Sex Mega-Plex (Risky Behaviors By Tom Smith; An About Face By Adriana Rogers; The STIs By Ian Patrick Williams; Camping By Chelsea Hackett; Reality T.V. By David Prather; Nino and the Principal’s Daughter By Joyce Lee; Genital Knowledge By Myles Nye; Peer and Press By Christopher Hart)
  • Pirates! By Kenny Klein
  • Sor Juana By Cynthia L. Cooper
  • Thirsty City By Willard Simms
  • Voyage of Odysseus By Joshua Feinman

2010

  • A Songwriting Lesson from Irving Berlin By Abraham Tetenbaum
  • Aesop’s Fables By Cy Young
  • Deborah Sampson: In the Character of a Soldier By Abraham Tetenbaum
  • Food For Thought 2: The Message Comes Home By Ian Patrick Williams, Abraham Tetenbaum & Norman L. Berman
  • Freedom Child By Bernadette McAllister
  • How She Played the Game By Cynthia L. Cooper
  • Matty By Eddie Frierson
  • Miss Mitchell’s Comet By Jane Carpenter
  • The Money Mon$ter By Abraham Tetenbaum & Norman L. Berman
  • Native Beginnings By Willard Simms
  • No. 21: The Dreams of Roberto Clemente By Desi Moreno-Penson
  • The No-Sex Mega-Plex (Risky Behaviors By Tom Smith; An About Face By Adriana Rogers; The STIs By Ian Patrick Williams; Camping By Chelsea Hackett; Reality T.V. By David Prather; Nino and the Principal’s Daughter By Joyce Lee; Genital Knowledge By Myles Nye; Peer and Press By Christopher Hart)
  • Sor Juana By Cynthia L. Cooper
  • The Whole World’s A Talkin’ By Brigitte Viellieu-Davis
  • Thirsty City By Willard Simms
  • Voyage of Odysseus By Joshua Feinman

2011

  • A Songwriting Lesson from Irving Berlin By Abraham Tetenbaum
  • Aesop’s Fables By Cy Young
  • Food For Thought 2: The Message Comes Home By Ian Patrick Williams, Abraham Tetenbaum & Norman L. Berman
  • Freedom Child By Bernadette McAllister
  • Matty By Eddie Frierson
  • Native Beginnings By Willard Simms
  • No. 21: The Dreams of Roberto Clemente By Desi Moreno-Penson
  • The Money Mon$ter By Abraham Tetenbaum & Norman L. Berman
  • Sor Juana By Cynthia L. Cooper
  • The Whole World’s A Talkin’ By Brigitte Viellieu-Davis
  • Voyage of Odysseus By Joshua Feinman

2012

  • A Songwriting Lesson from Irving Berlin By Abraham Tetenbaum
  • Aesop’s Fables By Cy Young
  • Food for Thought – My Plate By Ian Patrick Williams, Abraham Tetenbaum & Norman L. Berman
  • Freedom Child By Bernadette McAllister
  • Matty By Eddie Frierson
  • Native Beginnings By Willard Simms
  • No. 21: The Dreams of Roberto Clemente By Desi Moreno-Penson
  • The Money Mon$ter By Abraham Tetenbaum & Norman L. Berman
  • Sor Juana By Cynthia L. Cooper
  • The Whole World’s A Talkin’ By Brigitte Viellieu-Davis
  • Voyage of Odysseus By Joshua Feinman

2013

  • A Songwriting Lesson from Irving Berlin By Abraham Tetenbaum
  • Aesop’s Fables By Cy Young
  • Food for Thought – My Plate By Ian Patrick Williams, Abraham Tetenbaum & Norman L. Berman
  • Freedom Child By Bernadette McAllister
  • Matty By Eddie Frierson
  • Native Beginnings By Willard Simms
  • No. 21: The Dreams of Roberto Clemente By Desi Moreno-Penson
  • The Money Mon$ter By Abraham Tetenbaum & Norman L. Berman
  • Sor Juana By Cynthia L. Cooper
  • The Whole World’s A Talkin’ By Brigitte Viellieu-Davis
  • Voyage of Odysseus By Joshua Feinman

2014

  • A Songwriting Lesson from Irving Berlin By Abraham Tetenbaum
  • Aesop’s Fables By Cy Young
  • Food for Thought – My Plate By Ian Patrick Williams, Abraham Tetenbaum & Norman L. Berman
  • Freedom Child By Bernadette McAllister
  • Matty By Eddie Frierson
  • Native Beginnings By Willard Simms
  • No. 21: The Dreams of Roberto Clemente By Desi Moreno-Penson
  • Relatively Speaking By Ian Patrick Williams (revival)
  • The Money Mon$ter By Abraham Tetenbaum & Norman L. Berman
  • Sor Juana By Cynthia L. Cooper
  • The Whole World’s A Talkin’ By Brigitte Viellieu-Davis
  • Voyage of Odysseus By Joshua Feinman

2015

  • A Songwriting Lesson from Irving Berlin By Abraham Tetenbaum
  • Aesop’s Fables By Cy Young
  • First Kids By Abraham Tetenbaum & Norman L. Berman
  • Food for Thought – My Plate By Ian Patrick Williams, Abraham Tetenbaum & Norman L. Berman
  • Freedom Child By Bernadette McAllister
  • John and Juan – by David Prather
  • Matty By Eddie Frierson
  • Native Beginnings By Willard Simms
  • Relatively Speaking By Ian Patrick Williams (revival)
  • Sor Juana By Cynthia L. Cooper
  • The Money Mon$ter By Abraham Tetenbaum & Norman L. Berman
  • The Whole World’s A Talkin’ By Brigitte Viellieu-Davis
  • Voyage of Odysseus By Joshua Feinman
  • Yankee Doodle Poetry – by David Prather

2016

  • A Songwriting Lesson from Irving Berlin By Abraham Tetenbaum
  • Aesop’s Fables By Cy Young
  • Biddy Mason: From Slavery to Riches in the Wild West by Lily Landers
  • First Kids By Abraham Tetenbaum & Norman L. Berman
  • Food for Thought – My Plate By Ian Patrick Williams, Abraham Tetenbaum & Norman L. Berman
  • John and Juan – by David Prather
  • Native Beginnings By Willard Simms
  • Relatively Speaking By Ian Patrick Williams (revival)
  • The Whole World’s A Talkin’ By Brigitte Viellieu-Davis
  • Voyage of Odysseus By Joshua Feinman
  • Yankee Doodle Poetry – by David Prather

2017

  • A Songwriting Lesson from Irving Berlin By Abraham Tetenbaum
  • Aesop’s Fables By Cy Young
  • Biddy Mason: From Slavery to Riches in the Wild West by Lily Landers
  • First Kids By Abraham Tetenbaum & Norman L. Berman
  • John and Juan – by David Prather
  • Native Beginnings By Willard Simms
  • Shizzy’s Story by Alison Minami
  • Sor Juana By Cynthia L. Cooper
  • The Whole World’s A Talkin’ By Brigitte Viellieu-Davis
  • Voyage of Odysseus By Joshua Feinman
  • Yankee Doodle Poetry – by David Prather

2018

  • A Songwriting Lesson from Irving Berlin By Abraham Tetenbaum
  • Aesop’s Fables By Cy Young
  • Everybody Can Improvise! By Aretha Sills
  • First Kids By Abraham Tetenbaum & Norman L. Berman
  • John and Juan – by David Prather
  • Native Beginnings By Willard Simms
  • Shizzy’s Story by Alison Minami
  • Sor Juana By Cynthia L. Cooper
  • The Whole World’s A Talkin’ By Brigitte Viellieu-Davis
  • Voyage of Odysseus By Joshua Feinma
  • Aesop’s Fables By Cy Young
  • Everybody Can Improvise! By Aretha Sills
  • First Kids By Abraham Tetenbaum & Norman L. Berman
  • John and Juan – by David Prather
  • Native Beginnings By Willard Simms
  • Shizzy’s Story by Alison Minami
  • Sor Juana By Cynthia L. Cooper
  • The Whole World’s A Talkin’ By Brigitte Viellieu-Davis
  • Voyage of Odysseus By Joshua Feinman
  • Yankee Doodle Poetry – by David PratherYankee Doodle Poetry – by David Prather

2019

  • The Whole World’s A Talkin’ By Brigitte Viellieu-Davis
  • Everyone Can Improvise! by Aretha Sills
  • John and Juan by David Prather
  • A Songwriting Lesson by Irving Berlin by Abraham Tetenbaum
  • Poetry Potpourri by David Prather
  • Aesop’s Fables by Cy Young
  • Yankee Doodle Poetry by David Prather
  • Voyage to Odysseus by Joshua Feinman
  • Doggone Musical
  • Deborah Sampson: In the Character of a Soldier By Abraham Tetenbaum
  • Relatively Speaking: A Visit with Albert Einstein By Ian Patrick Williams
  • People of the First Light By Jose Andrews

2020

  • A Songwriting Lesson from Irving Berlin By Abraham Tetenbaum
  • Aesop’s Fables By Cy Young
  • Everybody Can Improvise! By Aretha Sills
  • John and Juan – by David Prather
  • Voyage of Odysseus By Joshua Feinma
  • Aesop’s Fables By Cy Young
  • Monkey King by Jeff Raz

2021

  • The Emerald World by Travis Dixon
  • Monkey King by Jeff Raz
  • Kukulman: A Mayan Story by Freddie Gaitan
  • Poetry Potpourri by David Prather
  • Stories of the First People by Abraham Tetenbaum Stories of the First People by Abraham Tetenbaum

2022

  • Freedom Child By Bernadette McAllister
  • Poetry Potpourri by David Prather
  • Everyone Can Improvise! by Aretha Sills
  • Poetry Potpourri by David Prather
  • A Songwriting Lesson by Irving Berlin by Abraham Tetenbaum
  • Aesop’s Fables by Cy Young
  • The Emerald World by Travis Dixon

2023

  • Freedom Child By Bernadette McAllister
  • Poetry Potpourri by David Prather
  • A Songwriting Lesson by Irving Berlin by Abraham Tetenbaum
  • Everyone Can Improvise! by Aretha Sills
  • Poetry Potpourri by David Prather
  • Aesop’s Fables by Cy Young
  • The Emerald World by Travis Dixon