Today we’d like to introduce you to Noelle Arms.
Hi Noelle, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
As the story goes, when I was 13 years old, I told my mom that I wanted to write, direct, and produce a play with kids. She quickly replied, “I’ll put up the curtain in the doorway!” “No, mom,” I replied, “I mean a REAL play, in a REAL theater.” And so Poison Apple Productions began.
My name is Noelle Arms. I’m the founding Artistic Director for Poison Apple Productions. I’ve been involved in, and around community theater since I was born. Our family were longtime members of local Pittsburg Community Theater for decades, and for kids, there were little to no options for year round play at that time. We started with just one original play – written by yours truly – every year. With a great amount of support from our homeschooling group families, my own parents, and a ton of good karma we began performing at the Lesher Center for the Arts in 2001, and still frequent that space today. What started as 15 kids in my parents front room, 26 years later resides in Martinez (right past Walmart and Home Depot on Arnold Drive). We currently produce over 20 productions a year, and serve over 800 youth.
In those 26 years, I pursued a collegiate education in theater – attending Chapman University and earning a BA in Drama (magnum cum laude) and attended the Eugene O’Neill National Theater Institute. I studied abroad with the Royal Shakespeare Company, and Complicite before returning home to Poison Apple. My mom, Dianne, held down the fort at Poison Apple developing our largest and most popular program in my absence: The Apple Seeds Program – where young artists learn the “seeds” of theater. I achieved my Masters Degree in 18 months through San Francisco State (go Gators!) and taught as part of the adjunct faculty at Diablo Valley College Drama Department alongside dear mentor Beth McBrien. I then taught coincidentally at Hope Academy for Dyslexics while furthering Poison Apple Programing until the birth of my first child in 2025, when I passed that position on to fellow Poison Apple team member to continue nurturing.
Poison Apple started as a dream and a hobby, and is now my full time paid job.
To say my 13 year old dream has come true is an understatement. The team we have at Poison Apple is so much more than a paid staff, and loyal volunteer Board of Directors. Poison Apple has become a safe space that many youth and their families consider a home away from home. We offer Musical Theater performance experiences, we participate in the Junior Theater Festival (where we have been recognized with top honors), we also are one of the only companies in the area with a fully realized youth Shakespearean company that fully produces William Shakespeare’s works with youth. We also offer Main Stage plays that have included adult performers, and continue to feature original works by local playwrights.
The best part? My mom is still involved on the journey as the President of the Board. While the rest of the Board has shifted a lot in our 26 years, Dianne has remained a constant North Star reminder of our values, mission, and goals as a non-profit children’s theater company. We wouldn’t be where we are without her. I wouldn’t be where I am without her.
Our Mission:
We have been a non-profit 501 (c) 3 family run, volunteer based theater company since 2000 – and developed into a professional children’s theater training program, and high quality production company. Our roots are humble, and based in imagination and collaboration. Our goals include bettering our community one story at a time either in our 60 seat playhouse theater space, OR at the Lesher Center for the Arts, OR at other community events.
We offer a wide variety of performing arts experiences for youth, and adults. Don’t be fooled though, while we are primarily a “children’s theater” we deeply believe that children being involved is happenstance – we create high quality theater, that happens to include children.
Our programs are award winning, our teaching artists and staff members are highly trained, vetted, and passionate about our participants and audiences experience. We’d love for you to be a part of our creative community.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Theater itself is an art form that has been dying for thousands of years. Meaning, there is always struggle
Funding continues to be a huge challenge – everything is so expensive. When we began our journey in 2001 there was no cost to participate. We joked that it was funded by “the Bank of Dad.” Now, families pay a participation fee that ranges from $300 for an 8 week program to a few thousand dollars for our traveling group to the Junior Theater Festival. The arts are expensive. We are really proud of the fact that we have NEVER turned a family away who was in financial need. We’ve been able to offer scholarships through the assistance of the rare grant, or loyal donor base to include those who may not otherwise be able to participate. We do keep costs as low as possible, and as a non-profit we’ve been able to function (mostly) in the black for our 26 years.
We really thought we weren’t going to make it through COVID 2020. There was a specific board meeting I vividly remember when I thought for sure we’d done all we could do – but our good karma shone through and a generous donor appeared to see us through.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
This was a difficult category to select a “box” for.
Poison Apple is a non-profit 501(c)3 children’s theater company. We specialize in high quality theater performance training for youth. We’re most proud of our incredible ensemble work within our productions. We’re set apart from others because of the family vibe found in our space, and the care and dedication of our participants.
Me, Noelle, I specialize in magic making. I consider myself a theater originator, because a wise professor once told me I was. I specialize in seeing potential and possibility in young artists and staging. I’m most proud of my ability to lead and encourage others to reach their full potential. What sets me apart is I’m a storyteller though and through – I create out of “nothing” and bring dreams to life.
Do you have any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
Certainly, participating in community theater productions with my extended family.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://poisonapple.org
- Instagram: poisonappleproductions
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/patheatre/
- Twitter: @poisonappleprod
- Youtube: @patheatre
