THE YOUNG COMPANY SUMMER FESTIVAL 2015

the young company Summer Festival 2015 combines acting, dancing, and singing classes with the rigor of a professional rehearsal process. Each program is tailored to the strengths of each age level. Young actors come to us at many different levels of experience and training, but one level of enthusiasm: passionate!

Grades 1-3: overture

An a la carte program offering six immensely fun and unique sessions. Pick and choose which ones you want or sign up for all six!

The overture program introduces our youngest actors to musical theatre performance in a fun, open, and supportive atmosphere. We consider acting, music, dance and design different ways to tell a story to our audience, each equally important to develop! Each week explores a particular theme through acting, dance, songs, and theatre crafts. Students spend the day playing theatre games, learning choreography, developing group and solo singing skills, engaging in stage crafts, and ultimately rehearsing a short original piece with music and dance. The week culminates in sharing of that piece for friends and family on Stoneham Theatre’s stage.

Six weekly programs beginning July 6 and ending August 14, 2015

Tuition $325-$1,650

Grades 4-9: act 1 & act 2

Grow your skills singing, acting, and dancing in “Disney’s My Son Pinocchio,” “Godspell,” or “Damn Yankees.”

The act 1 program focuses on key skills needed as an actor: building a strong and supportive ensemble, creating larger-than-life physical and vocal characters, and developing confidence by committing to our performances and each other. Strengthening music ability is central, especially rhythm and pitch; all students should be able to read music by the end of the program. We also introduce students to the design process through constructing props for their productions. All actors are cast in one of two musicals: approximately 30 students will be cast in Disney’s My Son Pinocchio, Jr., and approximately 3 students will join act 2 actors in Godspell. During the first four weeks, the program runs Monday through Friday, 8:30am-2:30pm. Actors spend roughly two-thirds of their day in show rehearsals, and the remaining one-third in classes in acting, music, dance and stagecraft.

The act 2 program builds on the skills developed in act 1 while widening our focus. Actors take on multiple perspectives; not only by tackling challenging characters, but also by analyzing scenes and songs to uncover the performance clues playwrights and composers give us. Dance is more challenging, incorporating both musical theatre and contemporary dance. Actors participate in the design process through collaboration with costume designers. All actors are cast in one of two musicals: approximately 22 act 2 actors will be cast in Godspell and approximately 28 in Damn Yankees.

A five-week program running from July 6-August 7, 2015

Festival Performances: August 6-9, 2015

Tuition $1,000

Grades 10-12: act 3

Experience a professional performance training environment in “Love’s Labour’s Lost,” “Rough Magic,” or “Titanic.”

The act 3 program continues the explorations of our younger programs with increased rigor. As actors, we explore a diverse array of professional training methods. Music theory is added to the curriculum for all. Diversity is also a hallmark of our movement training, as we expand beyond musical theatre dance into myriad styles. All our work has big questions in mind: what does it mean to be an actor? An artist? A person? How can theatre make us better at all three? Our three productions expand in scope to include both a challenging play and an edgy off-beat musical, in addition to a Broadway favorite. All actors are cast in one of these shows. Approximately 24 actors will be cast in the musical Titanic. Approximately 17 actors will be cast in the musical Love’s Labour’s Lost. Approximately 14 actors will be cast in the play, Rough Magic.

A five-week program running from July 13-August 14, 2015

Festival Performances: August 13-16, 2015

Tuition $900

For more information contact the Education Department at: education@stonehamtheatre.org or 781-279-7885 x 104.