Young Company
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.
Traditionally, the Young Company hosts master classes with guest artists from across the nation, produces a season of three plays, and facilitates special excursions to the Utah Shakespeare Festival and American Players Theater.
Class meets 9:30am-12:15pm Saturdays throughout the school year with additional workshops and rehearsals scheduled separately.
For questions, please contact Young Company Director Matt Daniels at mdaniels@firststage.org.
Audition for the 2022/23 Young Company
August 12-14, 2022
Auditions are by individual appointment, in person at the Milwaukee Youth Arts Center.
If you are unable to audition in person, you may submit a video audition. If you can audition in person but are unavailable August 12-14, make-up auditions will be held the week of August 22. Please send an email to Matt Daniels at mdaniels@firststage.org for more information.
Sign up for an audition slot or visit https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60B084BA8AE29A2F58-young3
Please complete an audition form or visit https://forms.gle/RYePGdZzMpuUmTvVA to complete your form at least one day prior to your audition.
Who is this for?
Auditions are open to actors entering grades 9-11 who wish to take their actor training to the next level.
How many students will be accepted each year?
We generally accept 20-25 new students each year.
What do I need to do for the audition?
Please prepare two contrasting memorized monologues, one classical (preferably Shakespeare), and one contemporary, not to exceed four minutes, total. There will also be an interview component to the audition. Plan to arrive a few minutes prior to your scheduled audition time to complete paperwork.
COVID-19 Protocols
Actors Equity Association, the union of professional actors and stage managers, requires all theater personnel who share the rehearsal room to be vaccinated. First Stage has implemented this policy for all professional performances. YC has always taken pride in the fact that we treat our students as professionals, following all union guidelines. Toward this end, all Young Company members must be fully vaccinated. Based on AEA and CDC guidelines, Young Company students may be required to wear masks when not actively working.
If you have any questions, please contact Matt Daniels, Director of the Young Company, at mdaniels@firststage.org.
Young Company Performance Projects
Young Company Performance Projects are actor-driven presentations using elemental production values. By stripping down to a nearly bare stage, the connection of actor to audience is enhanced, and the words of the play come alive in exciting ways, allowing our award-winning students to showcase their graduate level skills with full length material, from Shakespeare to American classics to pieces commissioned specially for them.