Behind the curtain.
Redbud’s beginnings.
Named for Oklahoma’s state tree, Redbud Theatre for Young Audiences inspires growth.
Redbud Theatre for Young Audiences believes that children deserve professional theatre that respects their full humanity, understanding their big feelings, their natural curiosity, their powerful imagination, and their deep need to belong.
The idea for Redbud took root during a season of crisis and care. Facing a season of financial uncertainty, a leadership transition, and in the aftermath of a devastating storm, our founder, Dani Keil, was appointed to senior leadership of a legacy arts organization in Tulsa. In the midst of the organization's rebuilding, Dani was reminded that the arts are not luxuries. They are essential, like bread. As theatre artist Peter Schuman once said, theatre nourishes us.
Taking root.
With decades of experience in theatre, Dani has seen again and again the power of live performance to capture children’s attention, to calm anxious nervous systems, and open hearts and minds. She has watched young audiences lean forward, fully present, when the productions were truthful, imaginative, and made with absolute care. She has also learned that children are discerning: they will not give their attention to work that does not meet them with quality and respect.
Tulsa has a thriving community theatre scene and world-class arts organizations, yet it has never had a professional theatre creating for young audiences. Redbud is founded to fill that gap: to create work by professional artists, designed specifically for children, and rooted in the developmental and emotional lives of young people.
Theatre invites people to gather together, to listen and feel, and to gain deeper understanding. In a world that feels increasingly divided and overwhelming, Redbud exists to welcome children exactly as they are, to honor their stories and humanity, to offer shared experiences of joy and wonder, and to connect across generations to our humanity. For children, these experiences are not only inspiring, joyful, and comforting, they will cultivate a lifelong love of the arts.
We are building something new in Tulsa, and we cannot do it alone. We invite families, educators, community partners, and artists to join us in creating a theatre that delights, inspires, and connects young people to the world around them. Together, we can make a space where imagination, empathy, and belonging grow for every child.
Our founder.
Dani Keil is a nonprofit leader, stage director, and arts educator who believes deeply in the power of story to create a sense of belonging and develop empathy. A natural storyteller and entertainer, she is known for her enthusiasm, creativity, and ability to build genuine connections with people of all ages.
As a public school teacher, she developed context rich learning environments to support English Language Learners and differentiated instruction for students with wide needs and abilities. Her background as a performer proved invaluable when she served as a storyteller at a public library, creating new programs weekly with puppets, songs, and picture books to engage toddlers and their caregivers in early literacy experiences. At the university level, Dani has taught acting, directing, theatre history, and education courses.
As a professional director for opera and theatre, Dani is passionate about utilizing theatrical elements like puppetry, music, and breaking the fourth wall to draw audiences deeper into the story. Favorite credits include: Snow Queen (Triad Stage), Pinocchio, The Hobbit (Tulsa Youth Opera), Disgraced (Cape Fear Regional Theatre), and Angels in America, Part I and II (Corn Stock Winter Playhouse). Since 2018, she has directed Tulsa Opera’s Raise Your Voice School Tour, witnessing firsthand how live performance can captivate young people and inspire moments of wonder that stay with them long after the show ends.
Dani is drawn to theatre because it is an immersive form of storytelling, and storytelling is, at its heart, an act of shared humanity. She believes theatre is a sacred place to explore big questions, big feelings, and what it means to belong. Dani believes that every child, just like every person, wants to be seen and valued for exactly who they are. These beliefs guide her artistry and leadership, creating a deep commitment to Redbud Theatre being a space of belonging, collaboration, and growth.
Fostering environments where artists, educators, and staff can do their best work, Dani strives to be a servant-leader. She is passionate about creating high-quality theatre through collaborative, intentional, and sustainable practices, and is committed to building an organization that will serve Tulsa’s children, families, and schools for generations to come.
Outside the theatre, Dani loves reading, golfing, and soaking up sunshine.
Dani has spent more than 25 years working as an arts educator, teaching everyone from toddlers to adults.
Coming to
Tulsa in 2026
