Acting & Musical Theatre

The Acting and Musical Theatre program gives interested students the opportunity to study the practical and theoretical elements of live theatre. The program integrates classwork and practical workshops with an active production schedule that includes two main-stage productions a year and a variety of student projects.

Emphasis on acting preparation through the study of various techniques in acting (Meisner and Stanislavsky, Bogart, Chekov method), voice and diction, and physical techniques are highlighted. Students will hone their powers of observations and attention to detail as well as their creative problem solving skills. Learning to form, organize and articulate ideas and listen to others in rehearsal and performance is the ultimate goal.

The Acting Department offers several 7 Week Class Series options throughout the year. Check out our Spring 2022 series of ‘The Hobbit’ directed by Robin Frome.

Class Levels

10 Week Class Series Center Stage 1 (Fall): Ages 8-11

Beginning Thursday, September 28th: This course is an overview of the American Musical Theater through the study of its’ elements and its’ history as well as hands on experience with 2 musical pieces. This course addresses how to approach the imaginary circumstances of musical acting by working with objectives, obstacles, tactics, relationships, beats and personalization. as well as explores the music, lyrics and libretto of a musical and teaches the student to look at (and listen to) these components of a musical for clues to character development.

Students will perform in our annual Winterfest & SpringFest shows.

To register, please visit: https://form.jotform.com/231484309941156

10 Week Class Series Center Stage 2 (Fall): Ages 13+

Students will perform in our annual Winterfest & SpringFest shows.

To register, please visit: https://form.jotform.com/231484309941156

8 Week Acting Class Series (Fall): Ages 9-12

8 Week Children’s Acting Class Series with Robin Frome

Ages 8-12

Beginning Tuesday, September 19th
5:00-7:00pm
$375
$15 Registration Fee

A performance class culminating in a production of Rumpelstiltskin on Sunday, November 12th at 3:00pm & 6:00pm

The story centers around a mysterious gnomelike man who spins straw into gold for the benefit of a beautiful miller’s daughter, in exchange for her future firstborn child. The little man reappears to demand his payment when the young woman, now the queen, bears her first child. As well as directing, Robin Frome will be writing this version to suit his cast accordingly. The jokes and plot lines will echo that of his version of Red Riding Hood (Red Riding in the ‘hood’)

To register, please visit: https://form.jotform.com/231454556448159

6 Week Class Series (Fall): Teen Acting & Improv: Ages 13+

6 Week Acting & Improv Class Series with Robin Frome

Ages 13+

Beginning Wednesday, October 5th
4:00-6:00pm
$250

The teen theater/improv class consists of the study of scenes and monologues appropriate to their age and assessed skill level. Each student will take on a part in a scene or monologue designed to be presented culminating performance at the end of each session. We approach each character for these pieces using the basic Stanislavski method no matter the genre. The basic questions involved explore “What does the character want, that character’s basic objective of the scene? What is he or she willing to do to get to that objective? And what are the risks involved?” We also delve into the dramaturgical aspects of the scenes or monologues. In the past, we have explored Shakespeare, Pinter, Miller, Wilder and offerings of theatrical versions of literature, including Anne of Green Gables and Little Women. All of these genres have specific historical and social circumstances, and we delve into their pertinence accordingly. (For example, we would discuss the specific attitudes each character would have in a Little Women scene that would affect their behavior concerning the American Civil War which is the key background to that plot.) We also include some voice, diction and physical exercises to maintain their ‘instruments’ and some practical tutelage in stage dialects and stage combat.

We balance each session with a series of improvisation games that strengthen the students’ stage presence, imagination and concentration necessary for their continuing success in their performance curriculum.

To register, please visit: https://form.jotform.com/231455065682155

7 Week Adult Acting Series (Fall): Ages 17+

6 Week Adult Acting Class Series with Robin Frome

Ages 17+

Beginning TBA
6:30-8:00pm
$225