Musical Theater for Children is coming to the City of Rancho Santa Margarita. Erin Mudry of the City of RSM Recreation Department has invited the Lake Forest-based nonprofit Creative Kids Playhouse Children's Theatre of Orange County to offer musical theater programming at the Bell Tower Community Center.
Creative Kids Playhouse has a mission to provide opportunities for children to experience the joy and fun of performing in a musical.
Michele Sheehy-Bowren is co-founder and creative director of the playhouse.
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"We strive to create a fun and encouraging environment at every rehearsal and class meeting, we feel every child deserves a moment in the spotlight," Sheehy-Bowren said. "Our goal is to create the opportunity for the child, and train them in a way that they are confident and ready when the curtain opens.
"There is no reason for performing to be stressful; making it a fun experience is one of our primary core values. Every child comes from a different place, a different level. We meet them where they are and celebrate their accomplishments with them."
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Two programs are being offered in Rancho Santa Margarita this spring, The Three Piggy Opera and Musical Theater Workshop. Prospective students are welcome to try the first class of each series for free.
"We are excited to bring our programming to the City of Rancho Santa Margarita," said Elizabeth Ramirez, co-founder and business director. "The courses that we have chosen to offer as our first RSM course offerings will be excellent building blocks for future programs. Our hope is to eventually be producing full-length 2-act musicals through the City of RSM, as we are in Lake Forest."
Creative Kids Playhouse is currently rehearsing The Wizard of Oz in Lake Forest, with two full casts. Performances will be held April 12-20 in the El Toro High School Theater.
The Three Piggy Opera is a musical designed for children 3-7 years of age, which the playhouse affectionately calls The Tom Thumb Players.
"Tom Thumb programs are designed to take into account the abilities and attention span of 3-7 year olds," Ramirez said. "From the script to the theatre games to the teacher-student ratio, it is really fun and easy for them, they don't even realize that they are learning."
"Tom Thumb director Jennifer Estrada is adored by kids, especially this age group. She is uniquely qualified, with years of stage experience, a Bachelor's Degree in Music as well as certification in Early Child Development."
This program rehearses on Tuesdays, 1-1:45 p.m., beginning March 12. The performance of this adorable musical will be May 7 at 6:30 pm. Enrollment is $114.
The Musical Theater Workshop course is for kids ages 8 to 14 and is offered Thursdays, 3:30-5 p.m., beginning on March 7.
"We are very proud to have Maureen Russell instructing this course," Ramirez said. "Maureen recently came to us after spending 12 years coaching children on Broadway. She is a professional singer with a published album and a Bachelor's Degree in Musical Theatre. Most importantly, the 8-14 year-old age group really responds to her teaching style. I'm expecting to be blown away by the performance at the end of the 12 weeks."
The 12-week course will instruct the students in all aspects of musical theater, from auditioning to how to act while singing, to dance, to using real emotions on stage. Master teachers will be brought in to teach select topics. The actors will demonstrate some of what they learned, each as a lead in their scene, in a final showcase performance on May 16 at 6:30 p.m. Enrollment is $215.
Learn more about Creative Kids Playhouse Children's Theatre of Orange County at CreativeKidsPlayhouse.com
