New Britain Youth Theater has announced classes and auditions for its fifth season. Children and teens ages five an up can study acting, improv, or musical theater on Saturday mornings at the new NBYT location at the New Britain-Berlin YMCA. Children ages five through fourteen can audition for either Rumpelstiltskin or A Charlie Brown Christmas and Frosty the Snowman. Teen auditions for a musical, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, will be held later in the fall.
Kids on Stage! and Little Kids on Stage! Auditions
Auditions for Rumpelstiltskin, for children ages 6 through 9, will be held on Monday, September 8, and Tuesday, September 9, 2014, at NBYT at the New Britain-Berlin YMCA at 50 High Street in New Britain (next to the New Britain Public Library). Audition times both days begin at 6:00 p.m. Rehearsal days are not yet set, but will not include weekends. The production will be performed at the same location on November 14, 15, and 16, 2014. Rumpelstiltskin is an adaptation of the Brothers Grimm fairy tale about a mischievous dwarf and one big, golden lie! The production will be directed by Brooke Ferguson and Christina LoBello.
Auditions for A Charlie Brown Christmas and Frosty the Snowman, for children ages 8 through 14, will be held on Monday, September 15, and Wednesday, September 17, 2014, at Holmes Elementary School at 2150 Stanley Street in New Britain (off Hartford Road (Route71) near West Farms Mall). Audition times both days begin at 6:00 p.m. Rehearsals will be on Monday and Wednesday evenings. The production will be performed at the same location on December 5, 6, and 7, 2014. A Charlie Brown Christmas faithfully follows the story of the 1965 television special in which Charlie Brown and the gang learn the true meaning of Christmas. Frosty the Snowman is based on the original 1950 song in which the magical snowman “came to life one day!” Both one-acts with music will be performed together. The productions will be directed by Angela Klimaytis and Nicki LaPorte.
All levels of experience are welcome, and auditions are open to children from any town. No prepared monologue is required, but those auditioning will meet in small groups with the directors and may be asked to repeat lines or read from the play. To schedule an audition, call (860) 515-8115 or email auditions@nbyt.org. Pre-scheduled auditions are preferred, but walk-ins are welcome. Those cast will be asked to pay a participation fee of $75. No child or family, however, will be turned away for inability to pay, so please ask about financial assistance if necessary. Older children age 13 and up may also call with interest in helping backstage.
Classes in Acting, Improv, and Musical Theater
NBYT will begin new classes on Saturday, September 13. All classes will meet at the new location at the New Britain-Berlin YMCA at 50 High Street in New Britain. Classes cost only $100 for ten weeks, and registration is open to families from any town. Each class ends with a short performance in the final class which is open to family and friends at no cost. An introductory class, Stage Play, is offered for children ages 5 through 8. Stage Performance is offered in two sections: one for ages 8 and up, and a second section for ages 12 and up. Classes in Musical Stage Performance and Improv in Performance are both for ages 10 and up.
Stage Play and both sections of Stage Performance meet on Saturday mornings from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. Musical Stage Performance meets from 11:00 a.m. to 12 noon, and Improv in Performance meets from 12 noon to 1:00 p.m.
Stage Play and Stage Performance classes are designed to combine the instruction of drama classes with the excitement of being in a show. They’re ideal for younger actors, children who want their first experience onstage—or a little more experience—or even older students who want to practice their stage skills or who aren’t able to audition and rehearse for NBYT’s productions.
In each section, children explore acting techniques, voice, movement, and improvisation in order to develop focus and learn to work as an ensemble. Each term, the group rehearses a selection of short scenes chosen especially for the children enrolled. Stage Play and Stage Performance I students meet together, but rehearse and perform different scenes. Older and more experienced children work on monologues and scenes with a greater focus on character development. The younger children will focus on story telling this fall, and the older group will study and perform classical monologues.
In Musical Stage Performance, for ages 10 and up, students work with a musical director on vocal warm-ups, diction, projection, acting a song, and performing in front of an audience. Both new and experienced singers are welcome to participate. Each term, songs will be chosen especially for the children enrolled and will also allow for short solos for all participants. Returning students will be challenged to expand their skills and vocal choices. Beginning this year, each term will focus on a different Broadway composer or songwriting team; the first will be Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein.
Improv in Performance gives participants, ages 10 and up, a basic understanding of improvisational theater concepts such as story building, environmental awareness, saying “yes,” and making and accepting dramatic offers. The group will be introduced to short-form improv games designed to build teamwork and reinforce the basic concepts. No prior experience in theater or improv is necessary, and participants will be able to take what they learn and use it to not only become better actors, but also better listeners and public speakers. Returning students will be challenged to expand their skills and stretch their choices.
For more information about New Britain Youth Theater and other upcoming programs and auditions, visit the company’s website at www.nbyt.org or call 860-515-8115.
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