"The city's liveliest and most polished professional theater." - The Statesman
Performing Arts School
The Performing Arts School at ZACH Theatre is proud to be a leader in theatre arts education. Since 1970 we have enjoyed watching our students nourish their imagination and creativity while also developing confidence and valuable interpersonal skills like communication, team-work and an appreciation for diversity. We offer process-oriented, production based instruction that provides opportunities to explore, develop, apply and refine expression through performance in a supportive environment. Our instructors are professional theatre artists and experienced drama teachers.
Performing Arts School:
- Community School Classes Classes open to students ages 3 & up at any level and are held during the day for homeschooled students as well as after school and on Saturdays.
- Pre-Professional School Classes Classes are for students ages 8 & up with an interest in theatre as a career. May require previous experience or auditions.
Click here for information on auditions. - Camps Offered for ages 5 & up over holidays, Spring Break and Summer.
COMMUNITY SCHOOL
FALL CLASSES: September 20-December 18, 2010
No class for Thanksgiving Break, November 22-28, 2010.
IMPORTANT DATES:
Dress Rehearsal Week: Dec 4-11*
Performance Week: Dec 11-18*
*Note: Some classes may have earlier start dates as noted below. Dress Rehearsals & Performance days & times may vary from regular class times. A schedule with these dates will be distributed at the end of September. Additional rehearsals are often held the final month of class and will be coordinated by teachers.
Community School classes are open to students at any level and are held during the day for homeschooled students as well as after school and on Saturdays. Process-oriented production classes culminate in end of semester performances. The curriculum includes creative movement and drama classes for children ages 3-7, and adaptations of classic pieces directed by theatre professionals for ages 8 and up. Most classes meet one day a week, though extra daytime rehearsals are often scheduled the final month of class.
Tuition is per semester. Register for 2 or more classes or register multiple children and receive $20 off each class or child.
MONDAY
Dramatic Play
Ages 3-5.
Play is essential as preschoolers create and perform original stories as they explore storytelling, characters, theatre games, puppets, dress-up, and more! A fun and active introductory acting class for the youngest players!
Teacher Rog Wall
Mondays 10am-11am
Begins September 20
$215
Creative Drama
Ages 5-7
Children ages 5 to 7 create and perform original stories as they explore storytelling, characters, theatre games, puppets, music, creative movement and more! A fun and active introductory class for young players!
Teacher Rog Wall
Mondays 11:15am-12:45pm
Begins September 20
$285
Broadway Babies
Ages 5 to 7
Introduction to musical theatre for the youngest students who love to sing and dance. Students learn about vocal technique, performance skills & Broadway songs. Join us for a sharing for families at the end of the semester.
Teacher Sarah Gay
Mondays 4-5pm
Begins September 20
$215
Frumpled Fairy Tales
Ages 10 & up.
Puns & pratfalls abound in this fun, frumpled version of three fairy tales. Play in funny endings & alternate stories of Rapunzel, Red Riding Hood & Snow White!
Teacher Kristen Logsdon
Mondays 4:00-6:00pm
Begins September 20
$325
TUESDAY
Creative Drama 2: Stories of the Season
Ages 7-10
Students will choose theri favorites from holiday plays including Goat Comes to the X-mas Party, The Tailor of Gloucester, Potato Pancakes All Around, The Fir Tree and more! The December performance will celebrate the joyous season with stories of Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa & the Winter Solstice.
Teacher Rog Wall
Tuesdays 1:30-3:30pm
Begins September 21
$325
Tuesday Troupers
Ages 7-10
Class participants develop & practice performance skills through theatre & improv games and explore their favorite stories & scenes. Students create and perform a final piece of their choice.
Teacher Rog Wall
Tuesdays 4-5:30pm
Begins September 21
$285
As You Like It
Ages 11 and up
Escape, love, confusion, cross-dressing, wit, melancholy, desire, fun... Shakespeare's As You Like It has it all. This production-oriented class will explore Shakespeare's language, delve into set & costume choices, dig into characters and enjoy some comedic fun.
Teacher Linda Dobbs
Tuesdays 4-7pm
Begins September 21
$395
WEDNESDAY
Chamber Music
Ages 12 & Up
Arthur Kopit’s absurdist drama is about eight famous women from different historical periods who all are interned in the same insane asylum. The women are — or believe they are — author Gertrude Stein, martyr Joan of Arc, activist Susan B. Anthony, politician Queen Isabella of Spain, Constanze Mozart, pilot Amelia Earhart, silent-film actress Pearl White, and explorer Osa Johnson. They have come together to represent the women of the asylum in planning for an attack they believe is soon to come from the men's ward.
Teacher Kristen Logsdon
Wednesdays 12:30-3:30pm
Begins September 22
$395
See You in the Funny Papers
Ages 9-12
Some people buy the newspaper for news, other for the daily comics! What's your favorite? Peanuts, Pearls Before Swine, Garfield, Spiderman... Students bring in their favorites to create a live action version of our funny friends.
Teacher Rog Wall
Wednesdays 1:30-3:30pm
Begins September 22
$325
Creative Drama
Ages 5-7
Children explore favorite stories incorporating games, costumes, improvisation, storytelling, movement, music, puppets, art and more! A fun and active class for young players!
Teacher Rog Wall
Wednesdays 4:00-5:30pm
Begins September 22
$285
Grimm's Story Theatre
Ages 8-10
Students reimagine fun fables of wit, foolery & wisdom by the Brothers Grimm, then choose from favorites like The Bremen Town Musicians, The Golden Goose, Henny Penny or The Fisherman & his Wife to rehearse for performances in December.
Teacher Greg Garcia
Wednesdays 4:00-6:00pm
Begins September 22
$325
Dracula: Origins
Ages 11 & Up
When his father, King Drac (the Dragon) dies fighting in battle, Vlad becomes the ruler of Transylvania and must combat the conniving forces which oppose him. He seeks help from the witches to grant him supernatural abilities and be transformed into a vampire.
Teacher Kristen Logsdon
Wednesdays 4:00-7:00pm
Begins September 22
$395
THURSDAY
The Secret Garden
Ages 10 & up
After Mary Lennox is orphaned, she becomes the ward of an uncle in England she has never met. As she adjusts to her new life at secluded Misselthwaite Manor, Mary discovers a secret garden. If she can uncover the mysterious circumstances behind the it, she might be able to save her sickly young cousin and melt the heart of her emotionally distant uncle. A touching, coming-of-age story, based on the classic novel.
Teacher Elizabeth Lopez
Thursdays 1:30-4:30pm
Begins September 23
$395
SATURDAY
Creative Drama
Ages 5-7
Children explore favorite stories incorporating games, costumes, improvisation, storytelling, movement, music, puppets, art and more! A fun and active class for young players!
Teacher Rog Wall
Saturdays 10:00-11:00am
Begins September 25
$215
Saturday Sunshine Players: Stories of the Season
Ages 8-10
Students will choose theri favorites from holiday plays including Goat Comes to the X-mas Party, The Tailor of Gloucester, Potato Pancakes All Around, The Fir Tree and more! The December performance will celebrate the joyous season with stories of Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa & the Winter Solstice.
Saturdays 11:15am-1:00pm
Teacher Rog Wall
$305
PRE-PROFESSIONAL SCHOOL
FALL CLASSES: September 20-December 18, 2010
No class for Thanksgiving Break, November 22-28, 2010.
Classes are for students with previous experience unless noted by audition only. See below to learn how to sign up to audition.
Tuition is per semester. Register for 2 or more classes or register multiple children and receive $20 off each class or child.
MONDAY
How to Eat Like a Child
Grades 3-7 by Audition Only
How to Eat Like a Child and Other Lessons in NOT Being a Grown-Up! is our fall musical for experience performers in grades 3-7. Comprised of humorous scenes and songs such as "How to Torture Your Sister" and "We Refuse to Fall Asleep," this musical provides a terrific ensemble experience for its cast. Performances will be December 11 & 18. More details coming soon.Teachers Sarah Gay & Sylvia Casper
Mondays 5:00-7:30pm
Begins September 20. Performances December 11 & 18
$650
TUESDAY
ZACH Junior Troupe One-Act Studio
Ages 14 & up by Instructor Approval
ZACH Jr Troupe is a select troupe of advanced acting students who collaborate on all aspects of production- staging, costumes, set, and marketing. This fall, the troupe will present 3 public performances of two One Act plays- The Isle of Dogs and The Importance of Being Earnest in December. High level of commitment, and instructor approval required. (See below for application process.) Students receive a skills assessment at the semester’s end.
One Act Studio: The Isle of Dogs and The Importance of Being Earnest
The Isle Of Dogs by Larry Larson, Levi Lee and Rebecca Wackler
Originally commissioned by Actor’s Theatre of Louisville, this comedy is about a regional theater troupe determined to raise funds in 1580s England so they can take their new play to London. However, potential donors feel that their play lacks relevancy. The troupe, featuring several familiar characters, desperately runs through multiple rewrites in an attempt to satisfy their financial contributors. As they say: “Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them in the form of continued national funding.”
The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde
Gwendolyn and Cecily are two girls, the first from the city and the other from the country, that are both in love with a man named Earnest Worthing. The trouble they find themselves in is that there is no such person as “Earnest Worthing.” They are both unknowingly in love with two men called Jack (from the country) and Algernon (from the city). When the characters unexpectedly find themselves all together at the same time, the men truly find out the importance of being “Earnest.”
Send a brief acting resume to education@zachtheatre.org. Include your name, age, contact information, number of years / productions at ZACH and why you would like to participate. The Troupe roster will be based on commitment level and age. Graduating students will receive priority.
Begins Sept 14.
Tuesdays 4:30-7:30pm through October
A second class a week will be added in November
Additional tech and dress rehearsals Nov 28-opening
Performances Dec 4, 5 & 11.
Teacher Greg Garcia
$550
Intermediate Musical Theatre Dance
Ages 11 & up by Audition or Instructor Approval
(If you are new to ZACH, please email short resume with best contact information to education@zachtheatre.org)
Students learn and refine their technique while studying various musical theatre dance styles at an intermediate level. Classes consist of warm-ups, progressions, center floor combinations & full-length routines. Participants also survey important musical theatre choreographers. This course is designed for theatre performers with previous experience in classes and/or productions.
Teacher Adam Roberts
Tuesdays 5:00-6:30pm
Begins September 23
$325
Advanced Musical Theatre Dance
Ages 11 & up by Audition or Instructor Approval
(If you are new to ZACH, please email short resume with best contact information to education@zachtheatre.org)
Students learn and refine their technique while studying various musical theatre dance styles at an advanced level. Classes consist of warm-ups, progressions, center floor combinations & full-length routines. Participants also survey important musical theatre choreographers. This course is designed for theatre performers with a signigficant background in dance technique and performance.
Teacher Adam Roberts
Tuesdays 6:30-8:00pm
Begins September 23
$325
Choreography for Musical Theatre
Ages 14 & up by Audition or Instructor Approval
(If you are new to ZACH, please email short resume with best contact information to education@zachtheatre.org)
In this class for advnaced musical theatre students, participants will learn and apply the basics of creating musical theatre choreography. Topics covered will include creating character-based movement, working with a musical score, considering content, style, form & space, and the choreographer's role on the production team. The class will consist of short weekly exercises in creating choreography. During the second half of the semester, each student will have the opportunity to choreograph a full dance break to fellow class members, which will be performed in a Choreographer's Showcase for family and friends at the end of the semester.
Teacher Adam Roberts
Tuesdays 8:00-9:00pm
Begins September 23
$250
THURSDAY
GOTTA SING! GOTTA DANCE!
Group 1: Ages 7-9 (or Grades 2-4)
Group 2: Ages 10-12 (or Grades 5-7)
Gotta Sing! Gotta Dance! is a dynamic team-taught class that delves into the exciting world of musical theatre. This class is designed to help students develop their vocal and performance skills while working on solos and duets from Broadway musicals. Basic dance & movement instruction will also be intergrated into the semester.
Thursdays 4:00-6:00pm
Teachers Sarah Gay & Sylvia Casper
$395
SATURDAY
The People Garden
Ages 7-10 by Audition Only
The People Garden is our fall musical for advanced performers in grades 1-5. This delightful musical follows a class of kindergartners through a day with a new substitute teacher. Students must be under 4'11" to be considered for this production. (Youthful sixth graders who meet the height requirement may audition if they choose).
Performances will be weekends late October-early November on ZACH's Whisenhunt Stage.
Director Jaclyn Loewenstein
Saturdays 1:00-5:00pm with additional Sundays close to opening
Rehearsals begin August 28
Tuition: $650
Headliners
Ages 11-13 or Grades 6-8 by Audition Only
The ZACH Headliners is our newest pre-professional youth performance company and will provide students in grades 6-8 with intensive preparation for a potential career in musical theatre performance with instruction by Adam Roberts, Philip Olson and guest artists. Following a selective annual audition process, accepted members receive weekly training in musical theatre technique and learn fully-choreographed production numbers, which they will present at major events in and around Austin. In April of 2010, the Headliners will be featured in a fully-produced musical revue.
**Headliners are eligible for a discount of $25 off each additional pre-professional class he or she registers for. Additional mulitple class/sibling discounts do not apply.
Director Adam Roberts
Saturdays 2:00-5:00pm with additional rehearsal in March for production
Begins September 18
Tuition: $1150 (Sept-April)
SUNDAYS
Showstoppers
Ages 14 & up or Grades 9-12 by Audition Only
The ZACH Showstoppers is an advanced pre-professional youth performance company that provides students in grades 9-12 with intensive preparation for a potential career in musical theatre performance with instruction by Adam Roberts, Jaclyn Loewenstein and guest artists (Tina Gramann, Michelle Ludwig, Donna Martin, Les McGehee & Khara Vincent). Following a selective annual audition process, accepted members receive weekly training in musical theatre technique and learn fully-choreographed production numbers, which they will present at major events in and around Austin. The 2009-10 company was featured at ZACH's Stagehands' Cast Call benefit, A Texas Christmas Carol at the Long Center, at ZACH's 2010 Red, Hot & Soul gala, and as the featured performers at the Make-a-Wish Foundation of Central Texas' 2010 gala, Cinderella's Ball. In February of 2010, the Showstoppers will mount a cull-scale prdocution on ZACH's stage, followed by further advanced training through April.
**Showstoppers are eligible for a discount of $25 off each additional pre-professional class he or she registers for. Additional mulitple class/sibling discounts do not apply.
Director Adam Roberts
Associate Director Jaclyn Loewenstein
Sundays 3:00-6:30pm with additional rehearsal in December & January for production
Begins September 19
Tuition: $1225 (Sept-April)
JUMP START: Musical Theatre Career Training
Ages 14 & up by Instructor Approval
(If you are new to ZACH, please email short resume with best contact information to education@zachtheatre.org)
Making its debut in the 2010-11 season is Jump Start, an optional extension program available to Showstoppers company members and similarly advanced students in grades 9-12. Participants in Jump Start will explore topics related to professional careers in the theatre industry with instructor Adam Roberts and guest artists (Kaitlin Hopkins & more). Throughout the course fo the year, each students will work to create an individual protfolio that reflects his or her continued preparation as a theatre professional.
Students will also have several optional opportunities over the year to join the group on outings to unique theatrical events throughout the greater Austin area to gain a wider perspective on styles of performance practiced by professionals in theatre, dance & music (additional ticket fees may apply).
Teacher Adam Roberts
Sundays 7:00-8:30pm
Begins September 26
Tuition: $325
Placement Auditions:
Pre-Professional Musical Theatre Program
For all auditions, please complete the audition form (click here to download) and bring it to the audition with a recent photo of any size.
SATURDAY, AUGUST 21
10:00am-1:00pm – Auditions for students in grades 1-5.
Students who audition at this time will be considered for: “How To Eat Like a Child”, “The People Garden”, Gotta Sing! Gotta Dance!, and other appropriate Performing Arts School classes. Some auditionees may be asked to return for a callback at 1:30pm the same day.
What to Prepare: a short uptempo song (about 32 bars) from a Broadway musical. Choose an age-appropriate song that shows off your voice and personality. Bring sheet music in your key or an accompaniment CD. Also, please memorize one of the short monologues available at ZACH’s Education office or click here to download online. Dress comfortably.
Call 476-0594 ext. 236 to schedule an audition spot at 10:00am, 11:00am or 12:00pm.
4:30pm-7:30pm – Auditions for students in grades 6-8.
These students will be considered for the ZACH Headliners, Gotta Sing! Gotta Dance! and “How to Eat Like a Child.” Sixth graders who are under 4’11” have the option of auditioning earlier in the day to be considered for “The People Garden” as well. Email jacki@zachtheatre.org if interested.
What to Prepare: a short uptempo song (about 32 bars) from a Broadway musical. Choose an age-appropriate song that shows off your voice and personality. Bring sheet music in your key or an accompaniment CD. Also, auditionees will be taught a challenging dance combination on the day of the audition and should dress appropriately for athletic movement. Headliners auditionees are advised that there is a heavy dance component to this program.
Call 476-0594 ext. 236 to schedule an audition slot at 4:30pm or 6:00pm.
SUNDAY, AUGUST 29
1:00pm-5:30 pm - Auditions for grades 9-12.
What to Prepare: a short uptempo song (about 32 bars) from a Broadway musical. Choose an age-appropriate song that shows off your voice and personality, in addition to a monologue of your choice (which should be one minute or less in duration). Bring sheet music in your key or an accompaniment CD. Also, auditionees will be taught a challenging dance combination on the day of the audition and should dress appropriately for athletic movement. Showstoppers auditionees are advised that there is a heavy dance component to this program.
Call 476-0594 ext. 236 to schedule an audition slot at 1:00pm, 2:30pm, or 4:00pm.
*NEED HELP CHOOSING AN AUDITION SONG? The following links feature Broadway songbooks designed for kids and teens, with accompaniment CDs included. You'll find these same songbooks on Amazon, too. Try Alfred Music Publishing or Hal Leonard.
