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Performance Groups & Year-Long Classes

Troupe
Troup is an auditioned acting ensemble consisting of up to 12 talented young people in grades 9-12. The Troupe strives for excellence in theatre by creating challenging acting projects throughout the school year. Past projects include state competitions/festivals, annual dinner theater, black box performance, and community projects. Troup has been, and will continue to be, a highly challenging and rewarding experience for young actors in the mid-Columbia who want to raise the bar on their own talent and professionalism in the performing arts. The next auditions for Troupe will be in the Spring of 2010.

Spontaneous Combustion
Spontaneous Combustion (SPC) is an audition based improve group, for youth grades 7-12, that performs throughout the community and at ACT. As a group, SPC strives to entertain and inform our audiences with quality, funny, and fun shows. The members are skilled at quick, creative and analytical thinking, character development, storytelling, and teamwork. In addition to performing at events throughout the community, SPC had two yearly shows: “A Spontaneous Combustion Christmas” and “The End of the Year Blow Out.” The next auditions for this group will be in the Spring of 2010.

Studio 68
Studio 68 is a weekly actor’s studio for youth in grades 6-8. It was created for students serious about advancing their acting skills. Week by week students will learn about the tools it takes to sharpen theatre skills through scene analysis, drama exercises, and character study, improve and more. Classes are every Tues from 3:30-5:00pm. Call Julie at 943-6027 for information about joining Studio 68.

Repertory
Repertory is a performance based group of 10-15 actors of a variety of ages who perform 2-3 black box productions each year. Actors involved in Repertory will experience the value of working together in a consistent and focused team environment. Each production is under a strict 3-4 week rehearsal period each member of Repertory either performing onstage or producing back stage. Auditions for this Rep 2009-2010 are closed. Our next audition for Repertory will be in the Fall of 2010.

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Teacher Bio's

• Josh is a 2008 Graduate of Central Washington University with a BA in theatre arts, emphasis in Youth Drama. This is his fifth summer with ACT, and he is very excited to be teaching again. Besides teaching, Josh is a director at ACT, and the drama director at Southridge High School. He is also a playwright and has had shows produced at ACT, CWU and the Acadia Theatre company in Nova Scotia. He is also the 2008 CWU playwright of the year. See you on SummerStage this year for How to Eat Like a Child! Josh is a proud member of the Hufflepuff House.

• Elizabeth recently just finished her first year as a freshman at Western Washington University. Her current major is Theater Education for Youth with an emphasis in directing. Although this is her first year teaching at ACT, she has been involved in theater since she was a little kid. Elizabeth has participated in many shows on and off stage at ACT, Richland High School, and other community theaters. She was also a member of ACTTroupe for three years. She looks forward to learning more and having a great summer this year at ACT.

• Patrick is a senior at Central Washington University where he spent time in both the Theatre Education and Youth Drama majors before settling on the BFA Performance specialization. This is his second summer teaching at ACT, and he is thrilled to be returning. In addition to teaching at ACT and learning at CWU, Patrick has also taught at CSTOCK in Silverdale, Washington. He recently finished a tour of Charlottes Web with CWU that had over 60 performances for children and families across the state. He is excited to be teaching with the ACTing Academy and working with Josh on How To Eat Like A Child. He really likes being barefoot.

• Crystal Deines has been involved with a dozen theatrical organizations over the last 17 years, performing in 40 productions, including several small films in the Pacific Northwest, and can be seen on local television. She studied Theater Management at Western Washington University, after being awarded the Richland Players scholarship in 2004. After graduating in 2006, she spent time as a professional stage manager and had her work published and performed professionally in Tacoma.
  
  Crystal was a first generation student with The Academy of Children, and has been working for them since October 2009. Crystal has taught in a variety of capacities over the last 10 years, including a focus on special education. She specializes in character voices and can be seen as the Queen in ACTn of Cinderella this October.

• Julie has been involved with different aspects of theatre since 40 years ago when she appeared in a production of The Frog Prince as the King. Since then she has acted, directed, or has designed hair, makeup and costumed over 100 shows. She has been involved with the Academy of Children's Theatre since 1999, director of ACT's award winning Troupe since 2000, and has been a part of the staff as the Education Coordinator since 2007. Her grandchildren are third generation ACT.

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FAQ's

HOW DO I REGISTER?
You can register online, by phone, by mail, or at the ACT studio during office hours. Payment is due at the time of registration.  Classes fill up quickly, and for this reason we cannot “hold” spots open. Classes are assessed the Thursday before the first day, and in the event the registration is too low to hold the class, the staff retains the right to cancel the class.  If the class is cancelled, families will be notified and a credit or refund will be issued.  Families have until seven (7) days prior to the start of class to cancel  registration in order to receive a refund. 

WHAT IS DRAMATIC PLAY?
Dramatic play is most often employed in pre-K classes. It encourages the use of “play acting” within the theme of the class, which is often literature based. (i.e. The  Wizard of OZ, Where the Wild Things Are.) It’s playtime with a purpose. This is a fun way to introduce this youngest group to “wearing a character” in a way that is easily grasped.                                 
WHAT IS CREATIVE DRAMA?

Individual creative drama classes vary within the theme of the class, but are also often literature based. All creative drama classes aim to teach the fundamentals of using The body, voice, and imagination for theatre. Like improv classes for older students, creative drama uses theatre games to teach specific skills like concentration, focus, inventiveness, and use of voice

WHAT TIME SHOULD I ARRIVE?
Please arrive a few minutes early the first day of class so you and your student may meet the teacher and fill out a student emergency form, but not more than 10 minutes early. When picking up your child, we ask that all parents arrive shortly before class ends. Our teachers are only paid for the time they are in the classroom. If you are late and the teacher is forced to wait with your child you will be charged $25.00 for each 15 minutes. If you need someone to stay with your student before or after class, please let us know in advance and we can make arrangements for supervision at a reasonable rate. ($10.00/hr. minimum $30.00)

WHAT IF MY CHILD NEEDS TO MISS A CLASS?
Please let us know in advance if your child will miss any classes so that the teacher can adjust his or her lesson plan accordingly.  Refunds cannot be made for missed classes.

CAN PARENTS SIT IN AND WATCH THE CLASS?
In order to help students let go of their inhibitions and develop a strong stage presence, parents are not allowed beyond the door to the class hallway to the classrooms during class time, as it is often disruptive to the students. You may either wait in the designated waiting area, or leave and pick up your student at the end of class. However, at the time class starts you may walk your child back to the classroom if you wish.

THEATRE SKILLS ARE LIFE SKILLS!
Our classes are very carefully planned to match the skill and emotional level of the student. For that reason, we only place students in classes within their grade range. The first day of class, you can ask for information on what to expect from any particular class.

HOW DO I REGISTER?
You can register online, by phone, by mail, or at the ACT studio during office hours. Payment is due at the time of registration. Classes fill up quickly, and for this reason we cannot “hold” spots open. Classes are assessed the Thursday before the first day, and in the event the registration is too low to hold the class, the staff retains the right to cancel the class. If the class is cancelled, families will be notified and a credit or refund will be issued. Families have until seven (7) days prior to the start of class to cancel registration in order to receive a refund.

WHAT IS DRAMATIC PLAY?
Dramatic play is most often employed in pre-K classes. It encourages the use of “play acting” within the theme of the class, which is often literature based. (i.e. The Wizard of OZ, Where the Wild Things Are.) It’s playtime with a purpose. This is a fun way to introduce this youngest group to “wearing a character” in a way that is easily grasped.

WHAT IS CREATIVE DRAMA?
Individual creative drama classes vary within the theme of the class, but are also often literature based. All creative drama classes aim to teach the fundamentals of using The body, voice, and imagination for theatre. Like improv classes for older students, creative drama uses theatre games to teach specific skills like concentration, focus, inventiveness, and use of voice

WHAT TIME SHOULD I ARRIVE?
Please arrive a few minutes early the first day of class so you and your student may meet the teacher and fill out a student emergency form, but not more than 10 minutes early. When picking up your child, we ask that all parents arrive shortly before class ends. Our teachers are only paid for the time they are in the classroom. If you are late and the teacher is forced to wait with your child you will be charged $25.00 for each 15 minutes. If you need someone to stay with your student before or after class, please let us know in advance and we can make arrangements for supervision at a reasonable rate. ($10.00/hr. minimum $30.00)

WHAT IF MY CHILD NEEDS TO MISS A CLASS?
Please let us know in advance if your child will miss any classes so that the teacher can adjust his or her lesson plan accordingly. Refunds cannot be made for missed classes.

CAN PARENTS SIT IN AND WATCH THE CLASS?
In order to help students let go of their inhibitions and develop a strong stage presence, parents are not allowed beyond the door to the class hallway to the classrooms during class time, as it is often disruptive to the students. You may either wait in the designated waiting area, or leave and pick up your student at the end of class. However, at the time class starts you may walk your child back to the classroom if you wish.

AT WHAT AGE DO PRESCHOOL CLASSES START?
Your child needs to be past the age of 3 1/2 to be registered for classes.

SHOULD MY CHILD PACK A SNACK?
ACT provides snacks for classes (peanut free). If your student has a class that is longer than two hours, please provide a sack lunch. If your student has a food allergy that we need to be aware of, please let us know in advance, in addition to indicating it on the student emergency form.

WHAT CAN I EXPECT THE FIRST DAY OF CLASS?
Dress your child to comfortably move and play. Please arrive a few minutes early the first day of class so you and your student may meet the teacher and fill out a student emergency form. At the time class starts you may walk your child back to the classroom, if you wish. Parents are not allowed beyond the door to the class hallway during class time, as it is often disruptive to the students. You may either wait in the designated waiting area, or leave and pick up your student at the end of class.

WHAT TIME SHOULD I PICK UP MY CHILD?
We request that all parents arrive shortly before class ends to pick up their student. You must come into the building to retrieve your child. Our first priority is your child’s safety. Students will not be permitted to wait outside. Please be prompt. If you are late and the teacher needs to wait with your child, a strict penalty of $25.00 extra per 15 minutes will be imposed. Our teachers are not paid for time spent outside the classroom.

WILL THERE BE A PERFORMANCE AT THE END OF CLASSES?
Many of our ACT classes have a “Sharing Day” on the last day of class for family and friends that may wish to observe. This may be an informal performance, a reading of a script, or they might simply share with you something the class has worked on. NOT EVERY CLASS WILL PRESENT A “PLAY” OR OTHERPERFORMANCE FOR SHARING DAY. Each instructor will design a sharing day based on the needs of the class.
If a performance is planned for sharing day, this performance is intended to be very informal and almost always done without lights, sets props and costumes. If the student wishes to bring in a costume or prop, please note: Students are not allowed to ask parents to buy materials for costumes, or allowed to ask parents to make their costumes. Costumes and props will be provided if available.

WILL MY CHILD NEED TO MEMORIZE LINES?
Memorization is encouraged for most presentations. Assisting your child in memorization is a wonderful shared experience, especially children with limited reading skills. If a performance of a short play is planned, you can expect some prompting, directions, or suggestions from the teacher. Please remember, this is an informal presentation and the class has had limited time to prepare for sharing day!

THE MOST IMPORTANT GOAL IF FOR YOUR CHILD TO HAVE A POSITIVE AND FUN EXPERIENCE.  WHILE LEARNING THE FUNDAMENTALS OF THEATRE!