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School Year Theater Academy

Academy classFirst Stage Theater Academy is the nation’s largest high impact theater training program for young people. We offer Fall, Winter, School Year Intensive, and Performance classes focusing on Acting, Musical Theater, Improvisation, and much more for students in grades K3 - 12, with classes held at the Milwaukee Youth Arts Center and the Sharon Lynne Wilson Center for the Arts in Brookfield.

Professional theater artists from Milwaukee’s thriving theater scene sharing their expertise, skills, and passion for their art. With programming that includes classes in musical theater, scene study and improvisation, students develop their stage skills while simultaneously building life skills, such as confidence, focus, and teamwork. 

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Session Dates | School Year Intensives | Performances Classes | School Year Academy Highlights | Cost | Registration Tips | Student Opportunities

*Please note: Our website is undergoing minor maintenance, which may cause an error message during the registration process. If you have any issues, please contact us by phone at (414) 267-2970 or email academy@firststage.org. Thank you for your patience!

SESSION DATES

Winter Academy

Wednesdays at the Milwaukee Youth Arts Center, January 15 - March 4, 2020
Saturdays at the Milwaukee Youth Arts Center, January 18–March 7, 2020
Saturdays at the Sharon Lynne Wilson Center for the Arts, January 11 - February 29, 2020

Spring Performance Classes at the Milwaukee Youth Arts Center
Disney’s JUNGLE BOOK KIDS, grades 3–5, February 24 - March 11, 2020; performances March 12 & 13
Disney’s FROZEN JR., grades 6–8, February 24 - March 18, 2020; performances March 19 & 20

School Year Intensives at the Milwaukee Youth Arts Center

Advanced Acting, Advanced Musical Theater, Organized Chaos, Playwrights Ensemble, Young Company
Saturdays, October 5 - November 23, 2019
Saturdays, January 18 - March 7, 2020
Saturdays, March 14 - May 9, 2020 (no class April 11)

View our Schedule at a Glance

AUDITION-BASED CLASSES

 

School Year Intensives

Advanced Acting, Advanced Musical Theater, and Organized Chaos will hold auditions on  September 11 from 4:30-6:30pm. Young Company auditions were held August 26-28. Contact academy@firststage.org to learn more and sign up for auditions using the links below.

Saturdays, October 5, 2019 - May 9, 2020

  • Advanced Acting (grades 5-8)  
  • Advanced Musical Theater (grades 5-12)  
  • Organized Chaos (grades 7-12)  
  • Playwrights Ensemble (grades 6-12) This class requires a written submission for admission - contact academy@firststage.org for details.
  • Young Company (grades 9-12)  

Spring Performances Classes - NEW!
Be part of a production with First Stage Theater Academy. Auditions for Spring Performance Classes are held September 17. Contact academy@firststage.org to learn more and sign up for an audition time using the links below.

  • DISNEY'S JUNGLE BOOK KIDS (grades 3-5) - February 24 - March 11, 2020; performances March 12 & 13.  
  • DISNEY'S FROZEN, JR. (grades 6-8) - February 24 - March 18, 2020; performances March 19 & 20.  

Highlights from School Year Theater Academy in 2019/20 include:

  • Playmakers, grades 1-2: Fall: Underwater Worlds; Winter: Arctic Adventures
  • Acting Foundations, grades 3-4: Fall: Time Warp Trip; Winter: The Epic Adventures of Rock, Paper, Scissors
  • Musical Theater, grades 5-6: Fall: Elf - The Musical; Winter: Disney on Broadway
  • Improvisation, grades 7-8: Fall: Advanced Comedy Improv; Winter: Introduction to Long-Form Improv

COST

  • Sessions start at $160. Tuition includes all class materials and one Academy t-shirt per students.  Explore our course catalog for specific classes and prices.
  • Financial assistance is available to any student; awards are need-based. Learn more about our financial assistance program and how to apply.

REGISTRATION TIPS

  • Register online 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You may also register by mail using this form.
  • Please have your schedule, child’s emergency contact information, and any pertinent medical information available.
  • Please note: our website is best compatible with the Google Chrome browser, with a ten-minute limit on our website’s shopping cart.

Questions? Contact the Academy Office at (414) 267-2970 or email academy@firststage.org.

Featured Class

5th-8th ONE WEEK SESSION: July 27th-July 31st, 8:45am-4:00pm

DATES: July 27th-July 31st TIME: 8:45am-4:00pm (students should bring their own lunch) GRADES: 5th-8th (as of Fall 2020) PRICE: $290 ($275 if registered before April 1st, 2020) *Note: students can be dropped off starting at 8:30am. Extended Care is available after class until 5:30pm for $50/week. If students are not picked up by 4:15pm and are not previous enrolled in Extended Care, a $15/day charge will be applied to the family account. 5th-8th GRADE ONE-WEEK SESSION Students will rotate through a Core Curriculum that introduces the fundamental elements of actor training: Acting Theory, Improvisation, Musical Theater, Shakespeare and Voice & Movement. -Acting Theory: Explore character, relationships, action and text while developing overall acting skills and confidence. - Improvisation: Develop expressiveness, spontaneity, and train your brain to think quickly and with reason through improvisational character and scene work. -Musical Theater: Increase your versatility and work on new vocal and dance techniques while exploring the art of telling a story through words, music, and movement. -Shakespeare: Crack the code of Shakespeare’s use of language and perform some of the greatest stories ever written for the theater. -Movement: Build strength, flexibility, awareness, and expression through a class devoted to the fundamentals of one of the actor’s most important tools; our body. -Voice & Speech: Strengthen the actor’s tool of voice by building skills in projection, articulation, and confident speaking.

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