Reston Community Players Helps Young Artists Gain Theatre Chops Via Apprenticeship Program

RESTON, VA — Young performers now have a place to hone their theatrical chops and get some exposure thanks to a new apprenticeship program recently launched by the Reston Community Players.

Apprenticeship program students ages 12 to 18 learn new skills by taking the program's inaugural production of "The Musical of Musicals (The Musical!)" from start to finish. The show will present 10 performances at the Reston Community Center’s CenterStage, starting with its premiere on Oct. 15 and ending with final curtain on Nov. 6. "The Musical of Musicals (The Musical!)" satirizes musical theatre, highlighting the work of Andrew Lloyd Webber, Rodgers and Hammerstein, and Stephen Sondheim among others.

Students in the RCP Apprentice Program benefit from the talent and experience of dozens of theatre technicians and artists. Cassidy Loria of Oakton, who attends Oakton High School, is participating in the the RCP Apprentice Program's performance track.

“I’ve been learning about what takes place behind the scenes of this production like costuming, set designing and directing and it is something I am very interested in further exploring,” she said, in a release. “This is an environment that has let me learn a lot.”

Kate Keifer, president of the Reston Community Players and producer of the apprentice program, said that organizers wanted the students to get hands on experience behind the curtain as well as onstage.

"This program allows us to give young performers and technical artists an opportunity to get a 360 degree view of everything that goes into mounting a theatrical production and to learn more about theatrical design and production elements that they may not have previously been familiar with," she said, in a release

Keifer is producing the inaugural show and Jolene Vettese is its director and choreographer. Lucia LaNave (musical director), Kaiti Parish (stage manager), Eileen Mullee (assistant stage manager), Andrew JM Regiec (set designer), Liz Mykietyn (set dressing), Cathy Rieder (scenic artist), Sara Birkhead (master carpenter and co-technical director), Dan Widerski (co-technical director), Franklin Coleman (lighting designer), Richard Bird (sound designer), Lori Crockett (costume designer), Mary Jo Ford (properties designer), and Sue Pinkman (hair and makeup designer) round out the rest of the production team.

Performances of "The Musical of Musicals (The Musical!)" will be presented at 8 p.m. on Oct. 15, 16, 22, 23, and 29, and Nov. 5 and 6, at RCC’s CenterStage, which is located at 2310 Colts Neck Road in Reston. Matinee performances will be presented at 2 p.m. on Oct. 24, 30 and 31. Tickets can be purchased by calling CenterStage at 703-476-4500 x3 or visiting www.restonplayers.org.