"The city's liveliest and most polished professional theater." - The Statesman
Performing Arts School
Click here to register online!
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. Our instructors are professional theatre artists and experienced drama teachers.
- The Performing Arts School believes in life skills through theatre skills placing emphasis on creating well-rounded people capable of artistic and self-expression through body, voice and mind. These classes are open to students at any level featuring class options after school, on Saturdays and during the day for homeschool students.
- The Pre-Professional Track is designed for students ages 8-18 looking for a more intense program with a commitment to deepening performance skills and technique. This program includes fully produced shows each semester. Classes require previous experience and in some cases an audition or approval by our Pre-Professional Coordinator, Jen Young. If you have questions about what course is right for you, please contact Jen at jyoung@zachtheatre.org. Click here for information on auditions.
- Camps Offered for ages 5 & up over holidays, Spring Break and Summer.
PERFORMING ARTS SCHOOL
SPRING CLASSES: January 23-April 21, 2012
No class for Spring Break, March 12-16, 2012.
Performing arts school classes are open to students at any level. Classes culminate in end of semester sharing.
Tuition is per semester. Register for 2 or more classes or register multiple children and receive $20 off each registration.
MONDAY January 23-April 16
Dance Skills: BROADWAY BABIES | Ages 4-5
Does your child love to sing and dance? Learn vocal technique and performance skills through Broadway songs. Click here to register online!
4:00-5:00pm | Teacher: Dea Eggleston | $ 190
Creative Drama: STORY TELLERS @ HIGHLAND PARK | Grades K-2
Explore favorite stories incorporating games, costumes, improvisation, storytelling, movement, music, puppets, art and more. A fun and active class for young players!
CLASS IS FULL!
Class takes place at Highland Park Elementary School.
3:00-4:30pm | Teacher: Rog Wall | $250
Studio Performance: WIZARD OF OZ (musical) | Ages 10+
Experience a play from rehearsal to studio performance with this beloved musical. Follow Dorothy over the rainbow to meet fantastic friends, epic enemies and discover that there truly is no place like home.
NOTE: This class meets Mondays and Thursdays.
CALL FOR INFO.
12:30-3:30pm & Thurs 12:30-2:30pm | Teacher: Kristen Logsdon & David Blackburn | $ 400
TUESDAY January 24-April 17
Private School Interscholastic Association One-Act Competition: TWELFTH NIGHT
Ages 11-13
Shakespeare's classic story of love, misadventure, and mistaken identities. PSIA’s One Act combines the joy of acting with the thrill of competition as students compete against other private schools in Texas.
NOTE: This class meets Tuesdays and Thursdays.
CALL FOR INFO.
1:30-4:30pm | Teacher: Linda Dobbs | $375
Creative Drama 2: PETER PAN | Ages 7-10
Use the skills you learned in Creative Drama to create a performance piece based on our favorite scenes and characters from Peter Pan.
CALL FOR INFO.
1:30-3:30pm | Teacher: Rog Wall | $290
Creative Drama: ONCE UPON A TIME | Ages 5-7
Tell a great story and put it on its feet. Learn to use your body and voice to create the characters, environments and sounds of well-loved and newly imagined tales. Click here to register online!
4:00-5:00pm | Teacher: Janis Stinson | $190
Creative Drama 2: TUESDAY TROUPERS | Ages 7-10
Develop confidence in your performance skills as we practice theatre and improv games, explore favorite stories and scenes and develop a final piece with fellow troupers. Click here to register online!
4:00-5:30pm | Teacher: Rog Wall | $250
WEDNESDAY January 25-April 18
Creative Drama: STORY BOOK THEATRE | Ages 3.5-4.5
Jump into the story! We’ll work together, share ideas and practice creative problem solving while activating the characters, themes and environments of great children’s books.
CALL FOR INFO
10:00-11:00am | Teacher: Ellie McKay | $ 190
Studio Performance: ALICE IN WONDERLAND | Ages 8-10
Experience a play from rehearsal to studio performance with this classic story. Come through the Looking Glass to meet Alice, the Mad Hatter, Dormouse, Caterpillar and the White Rabbit. Watch out for your Head!!!
CALL FOR INFO
1:30-3:30pm | Teacher: Rog Wall | $290
Creative Drama: STORY TELLERS | Ages 5-7
Explore favorite stories incorporating games, costumes, improvisation, storytelling, movement, music, puppets, art and more. A fun and active class for young players! Click here to register online!
4:00-5:30pm | Teacher: Rog Wall | $250
THURSDAY January 26-April 19
Skill Building: ACTING FOR THE CAMERA | Ages 10+
Learn techniques to audition for film and commercial roles in a professional setting.
CALL FOR INFO
1:00-3:00pm | Teacher: Shaun Wainwright-Branigan | $290
Dance Skills: CREATIVE MOVEMENT | Ages 3-5
Get the wiggles out! We will use our bodies to explore shapes, animals and environments while learning physical control and expression.
CALL FOR INFO
3:00 – 4:00pm | Teacher: Dea Eggleston | $190
Dance Skills: BALLET AND TAP COMBO | Ages 5-7
We will learn the basics of pre-ballet and tap technique while artistically expressing ourselves through creative movement.
CALL FOR INFO
3:30-4:30pm | Teacher: Jen Young | $190
Creative Drama: TREASURE CHEST ADVENTURE | Ages 4-5
Each day we’ll find something new in our treasure chest that inspires an original story from our imaginations. Click here to register online!
4:00-5:00pm | Teacher: Vanessa O’Brien | $190
Create-a-Play: PETER PAN @ HIGHLAND PARK | Grades 3-5
Travel to Neverland with Peter Pan! Visit the Lost Boys, Hook and the pirates, Tink, mermaids and more. Class with create a performance piece based on this wonderful classic. Click here to register online!
Class takes place at Highland Park Elementary School.
3:00-4:30pm | Teacher: Rog Wall | $250
Create-a-Play: SOLVE A MYSTERY! | Ages 8-11
It’s a classic tale of “who done it” but this time you decide who’s guilty. Work as an ensemble to write an original story, create new characters, and solve the mystery. Click here to register online!
5:00-6:30pm | Teacher: Vanessa O’Brien | $250
SATURDAY January 28-April 21
Creative Drama: DRAMATIC PLAY | Ages 3-5
Puppets and dress-up introduce young students to storytelling, character creation and theatre games.
CLASS IS FULL!
10:00-11:00am | Teacher: Rog Wall | $190
Creative Drama: PIRATE ADVENTURE | Ages 5-7
Become a pirate! Use your imagination to travel the seas, conquer sea creatures and find the treasure while working on character, voice and movement skills.
CLASS IS FULL!
10:00–11:30am | Teacher: Chad Dike | $250
Creative Drama 2: THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE | Ages 8-11
Use the skills from Creative Drama to create a performance piece based on our favorite scenes and characters from The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.
CLASS IS FULL!
11:00am-12:30pm | Teacher: Rog Wall | $ 250
Create-a-Play: ROBIN HOOD | Ages 7-10
Adventures abound in Sherwood Forest: we will use our knowledge of the Merry Men, Maid Marian, the Sheriff of Nottingham & more to create an original performance from our imaginations.
CALL FOR INFO
12:30-2:00pm | Teacher: Vanessa O’Brien | $250
PRE-PROFESSIONAL TRACK
SPRING CLASSES: January 23-April 21, 2012
No class for Spring Break, March 12-16, 2012.
Classes are for students with previous experience & some may require audition or instructor approval.
Tuition is per semester. Register for 2 or more classes or register multiple children and receive $20 off each registration.
MONDAY January 23 - April 16
Dance Technique: BEGINNING BALLET/JAZZ
This course serves as an introduction to the fundamental exercises and techniques of ballet and jazz. Basic ballet terminology, correct body alignment, flexibility and movement control are all introduced through barre and center floor. This class is an excellent foundation in movement for all actors, especially those with a musical theatre focus. Click here to register online!
5:30-7:00pm | Teacher: Christa Oliver | $290
Skill Building: VOCAL BOOTCAMP WITH ALLEN ROBERTSON | Grades 6-12
This vocal intensive for all levels is taught by ZACH’s award-winning Musical Director, Allen Robertson. Each week Allen will focus on a new skill to put in your 'performer’s backpack' with each skill building on the next. Work on music theory, harmony, audition technique and more. Click here to register online!
6:00-7:30pm | Teacher: Allen Robertson | $290
TUESDAY January 24 - April 17
Dance Technique: INTERMEDIATE BALLET/JAZZ
by audition or instructor approval
Continue your development and execution of ballet and jazz technique. In addition to increased ballet vocabulary and body alignment, we will work on technical accuracy, performance quality and floor combinations.
CALL FOR INFO
5:30-7:00pm | Teacher: Jen Young | $290
Skill Building: FUNDAMENTALS OF ACTING | Ages 8-11
Focus in on the actor’s vocabulary and craft. Take control of your body and voice to create striking characters and hone your mind to dissect scenes into objectives, tactics and obstacles. This is the building block of all acting training. Click here to register online!
5:30-7:00pm | Teacher: Janis Stinson | $290
WEDNESDAYS January 25 - April 18
Dance Technique: ADVANCED BALLET/JAZZ
by audition or instructor approval
Refine your technical skills in Ballet and Jazz at an advanced level. We stress musicality, style, and theatricality through barre, center floor, and advanced combinations.
CALL FOR INFO
5:30-7:00pm | Teacher: Jen Young | $290
Skill Building: AGENT SHOWCASE | Ages 8-11 & 12-18
by audition only
Learn from professional actress of stage and screen, Irene White. With a focus on scene work and monologues, Irene will guide students through the process of getting represented by an agent for film and commercials. Agent Showcase culminates with a final presentation for Austin’s top agents for young actors.
CLASS IS FULL!
Ages 8-11: 4:30-6:00pm | Teacher: Irene White | $350
Ages 12-18: 6:00-7:30pm | Teacher: Irene White | $350
SATURDAY January 28 - April 21
Skill Building: IMPROV 101 | Ages 12-18
Learn improv games, techniques, scene building strategies, and character creation in this fun class that ends with a show for family and friend. This will be the first class in starting a ZACH improv troupe. Click here to register online!
10:00-11:00am | Teacher: Dan Sawtelle | $225
Skill Building: FUNDAMENTALS OF ACTING | Ages 12-18
Focus in on the actor’s vocabulary and craft. Take control of your body and voice to create striking characters and hone your mind to dissect scenes into objectives, tactics and obstacles. This is the building block of all acting training. Click here to register online!
11:30am-1:00pm | Teacher: Greg Garcia | $290
Tech Theatre: INTRO TO DESIGN | Ages 12-18
Learn the art of costume and set design with Susan Branch Towne, one of Austin’s premier costume designers and Aaron Bell (currently designing ZACH’s If You Give a Mouse a Cookie). This class ends with a final portfolio presentation of students’ renderings.
CALL FOR INFO
1:00-3:00pm | Teacher: Susan Branch Towne & Aaron Bell | $350
FULLY-PRODUCED SPRING PRODUCTIONS
ZACH’s Performing Arts School offers two fully produced shows this spring. Each show requires an audition and will rehearse Saturdays and Thursdays starting January 26th.
Sideways Stories from Wayside School | Grades 3-12 | Whisenhunt Stage
One of Louis Sachar’s most beloved and hilarious books about the wacky antics at Wayside School. Young actors will work with a team of theatre professionals while honing their character and performance skills. Audition required.
Saturdays 11:00am-2:00pm & Thursdays 5:00-7:00pm | Director: Ellie McKay | $550
50 Years of Broadway | Grades 1-5, 6-8 and 9-12 | Kleberg Stage
A fully produced musical revue of Broadway’s greatest musicals from the past 50 years including Oliver, Chicago, and Wicked. Performers will be broken into groups by age and skill level.
All students who audition will be cast; audition for skill level placement only.
Saturdays 2:00-6:00pm & Thursdays 5:00-7:00pm | Director: Jen Young | $600
Technical Rehearsals
In addition to Thursday and Saturday rehearsals, participants must attend additional technical rehearsals. More information available at time of audition.
Performances
Sideways Stories performs Saturdays, April 28, May 5, 12 and 19 at 12:30pm and 3:30pm
50 Years of Broadway performs Sundays, April 15, 22, 29 and May 6 at 6:30pm
AUDITIONS
Auditions for AGENT SHOWCASE
Saturday, January 7; Grades 3-5 from 10:00-11:30am; Grades 6-12 from 12:00-1:30pm
What to Prepare: a one-minute memorized, age-appropriate monologue
Audtions for SIDEWAYS STORIES and 50 YEARS OF BROADWAY
Grades 1-5: Saturday, January 7 from 2:00-5:00pm
Grades 6-12: Saturday, January 14 from 2:00-5:00pm
Please note: If you are only interested in being cast in Sideways Stories From Wayside School, a non-musical, you will still be required to sing for auditions and may be asked to read from the script.
What to Prepare:
Grades 1-2: be prepared to sing Happy Birthday or Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
Grades 3-12: a short, age-appropriate, up-tempo song (about 32 bars) from a Broadway musical that shows off your voice and personality. Bring sheet music in your key or an accompaniment CD. Auditioners will be taught a challenging dance combination on the day of the audition and should dress appropriately for athletic movement.
Call 512.476.0594 ext. 236 or email education@zachtheatre.org to schedule an audition slot
*NEED HELP FINDING AUDITION SONGS? 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.
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