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Throughout the school year, we offer classes in Fall, Winter, and Spring Sessions for grades K4-12. All experience levels are welcome! Performance fundamentals, storytelling, advanced classes, and specific techniques are offered.

Classes are taught by professional theater performers and artists, based on First Stage's highly developed curriculum.

Full-day and half-day sessions held throughout the summer for students entering grades K4-12 in the fall. All experience levels are welcome! Classes range from basic storytelling and dramatic play for the youngest students, to introductory show clinics and audition-based Company Classes for high school students.

Summer and School Year Theater Academy classes designed for both verbal and non-verbal students, students with classic autism, PDD-NOS, other sensory processing disorders, and Asperger's. With small class sizes, our curriculum explores acting, singing, dancing and improvisation, through which students improve social understanding, fine and gross motor skills, empathy, conversation skills, public speaking and confidence. 

First Stage Young Company, the Theater Academy’s award-winning training program for advanced high school actors is open to students who want to take their work to the next level. Accepted students will complete college and graduate-level training in Acting, Voice, Movement, and Shakespeare as well as electives ranging from Auditioning to Stage Combat to Dialects.

We are thankful to many generous sponsors that allow us to offer financial assistance to any family that applies; awards are need-based. Flexible payment-plans are also available. Contact the Academy at academy@firststage.org to learn more. 

Do you want to be a student leader at the Milwaukee Youth Arts Center? These positions are great for students looking to boost their extracurricular activities, make a difference in their community, and create a welcoming (and fun!) atmosphere for all students that walk through our doors. Students of all backgrounds, talents, and abilities (Grades 5-12) are encouraged to apply. 

Students entering 8th grade and up have the exciting opportunity to apply for an internship position with First Stage Theater Academy. Interns are role models, mentors and office assistants. If this sounds like you, please fill out the Summer 2024 application and return in a timely fashion. Internships are one to eight weeks in length and positions will be filled by April 2024. The application deadline is March 15. Learn more and apply.