Young people will have the opportunity to develop their actor tools of body, voice, and imagination by actively engaging in creative play. One-week half-day sessions will explore favorite tales such as Puppy Patrol, Dragon's Taco Party, and Eric Carle stories.

AM classes are 9:30-10:45am
PM classes are 1:00-2:15pm

Get ready for mysteries, jungle adventures, ice castles, fairies and monsters! Students will work together to solve problems, develop characters, and act out their stories. Choose from weekly themes including Adventure Island, Monster Mayhem, and Magic Tree House.

AM classes are 9:00-11:30am
PM classes are 12:30-3:00pm

Explore the craft of acting through the lens of some of our favorite shows. With musical theater, contemporary, and classical shows from which to choose, these plays will inspire our work throughout the session. Deepen your knowledge of theater and strengthen your actor skills through shows such as Frozen Jr., Dear Evan Hansen, Camp Rock, and Mean Girls.

AM show workshops for 3rd/4th graders are 9:00-11:30am
PM show workshops for 3rd/4th graders are 12:30-3:00pm
5th-12th grade show workshops are 9:00am-3:00pm

In these concentrated show clinics, students work with theater professionals for two weeks to broaden their performance skills, deepen their knowledge of theater, and perform a popular show as their final presentation. Shows studied this summer includes Aladdin, Jr., The Music Man, Jr., and Heathers. Auditions are required.

Performance Experiences are 9:00-3:00pm

High School students will work with theater professionals for four weeks to broaden their performance skills, deepen knowledge of theater, and produce a show. Students serve as role models of teamwork and positive energy, and carry the Company Class legacy of leadership, energy, discipline, focus and joy. Auditions are required.

Using research-based best practices, Next Steps serves 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. 

Milwaukee Youth Arts Center, 325 W. Walnut Street, Milwaukee, WI 53212
June 14 - August 13, 2021
*Classes held August 9 - 13, 2021 are for our Next Steps Theater Academy students.

Sharon Lynne Wilson Center for the Arts, 3270 Mitchell Park Drive,  Brookfield, WI 53045
June 28 - July 9, 2021

We are working to develop procedures to ensure secure admittance into our classroom spaces, which will include the following safety measures:

• All in-person classes will be capped below room capacity.

• Parents or other caregivers will not be allowed in the building during class time.

• Students and staff will complete a daily health screening form.

• Students and staff are required to wear CDC approved face coverings at all times.

• Classes will be held in our large rehearsal halls and classrooms to ensure students and staff maintain six feet of separation at all times.

• Rehearsal halls will be cleaned and disinfected in between class sessions and nightly.

• Final presentations will be shared with family and friends through a virtual platform.

• In the event that we do not feel it is safe to carry out in-person classes, these sessions will be moved to a virtual platform.

Tuition
Tuition ranges from $90 - $635 depending upon age and length of class. Payment plans are available with a $75 deposit. There is a $20 fee for all new students, which covers enrollment and t-shirt costs. 

Multi-class and Sibling Discounts
Save $10 when you enroll in multiple classes this summer. Sibling discount also available. Your discount will be automatically applied when you register for multiple classes online. Restrictions may apply.

Financial Assistance
Financial assistance is available to any student; awards are need-based. Learn more about our financial assistance program and how to apply.

Register online 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

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.

You may also register by mail or fax using this Summer Academy Registration form.

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

First Stage Theater Academy is the nation’s largest high-impact theater training program for young people! Our region’s finest professional theater artists share their expertise, skills, and passion for their art with over 2,000 young people this summer. Students will develop skills in musical theater, scene study, Shakespeare, improvisation, and much more, while simultaneously building life skills, such as confidence, focus, and teamwork. Young people are encouraged to take risks and conquer their fears, and we are proud to be building the next generation of artists and leaders.