Saturday Workshops

We will be offering theatre opportunities during the school year for students in 1st-12th grades starting this fall! 

We will start with a fall musical, with performances Sat. Nov. 14 at 11am and 2pm at Elmwood Commons. 

Rehearsals are Saturday mornings from 9am-12pm, starting Sat. Sept. 12. 

Registration starts Sunday July 19th. 

Rehearsals:

Sat. Sept. 12 9am-12pm (auditions)

Sat. Sept. 19 9am-12pm

Sat. Sept. 26 9am-12pm

Sat. Oct. 3 9am-12pm

Sat. Oct. 10 9am-12pm

Sat. Oct. 17 9am-12pm

Sat. Oct. 24 9am-12pm

Sat. Oct. 31 9am-12pm (wear your Halloween costume if you want!)

Sat. Nov. 7 9am-12pm (tech rehearsal)

Shows:

Sat. Nov. 14 9am call time, shows at 11am, 2pm

*Pizza provided after the 11am show for cast

Attendance:

We can work around conflicts *except* for the November rehearsal and show dates. We want to be considerate with the cast’s time and stick to Saturday mornings without adding rehearsals, because weeknights can be difficult with homework and other activities. Please communicate any absences before Sat. Sept. 12, audition day.

FAQ

How can my child prepare for the workshop?

Sing, read aloud, and dance! Take every opportunity to sing and do music. Take chorus at school, sing in the shower, audition for solos, All County and NYSSMA as they get older. Consider private voice lessons or joining a church choir or community chorus. Playing an instrument helps too! If there are younger siblings, family members, or friends, they are great audience members if you read a story aloud. They appreciate when you read with good fluency, slowly and clearly, with good inflection. Students who have taken dance classes also have an advantage, because they are used to being onstage. 

How late can I join the production?

The last day to register is Sat. Sept. 19.

My child isn't available for the show, but they'd still like to learn the songs/dances/scenes and be part of the workshop.

That's fine! Please let us know by Sat. Sept. 12 (audition day) if your child won't be performing but still wants to participate in the ensemble work and the games.

What should my child wear to the workshop?

Your child should wear sneakers and comfortable clothes. If directors asked your child to do a cartwheel, would their bodies be covered? Students with long hair need a hair band. Also please wear deodorant, if needed. If your child’s shirt does not smell “fresh” after rehearsal under the bright lights of the stage, deodorant is a good idea.

What should my child bring to rehearsal?

Your child needs: script (to be distributed first week of camp), water bottle, pencil with eraser, crayons or makers with coloring book or paper, book or independent activity to do during downtime (non-electronic).  

How do you communicate with parents during the show?

We use the Remind app to send important information, such as details about the week of the show and costume requirements. You may also text directors via the app. Make sure you join our group, which is assigned after registration. You may also reach out via phone or email, knowing that it may take 24 hours to hear back, since we are with your children during the day.

What is your audition process?

An informal audition starts as soon as the kids walk in the door. We notice who takes direction well, is kind to others, tries their best - not only while we are working, but during theatre games. We hold auditions the first day, after preparing the kids with a song and scene from the show.

How can I support my child through casting?

The best way to support your child is to encourage them, but not discuss specific parts. Every child gets in! Please do not say “You’d make a great Elsa”, because that leads to false hope. It is so important to believe in your child, but we often have students with unrealistic expectations. We strongly encourage the kids to NOT cast the show. Say things like “You will have so much fun doing this show!”, “Your singing has really improved”, etc. Every child will have the opportunity to shine. If they don’t have a line in the show, they still have the experience of learning and saying a line in the pre-show talk. We encourage you to make it more about the experience of camp (friends, growing as an actor, etc.) than about specific roles. It’s normal to be disappointed if you don’t get the part you wanted. We encourage the kids to vent to parents at home, but not be negative about it at camp. Unfortunately we learn some life lessons about disappointment from auditioning, and it’s a good teachable moment. We are happy to talk to your child about casting the day after the cast is announced. This is not a parent conference - it’s an optional opportunity for the kids to advocate for themselves and get feedback on what they can work on if they’d like it.

Will my child have a line?

Every child is offered at least one line. If the script allows, it will be during the show, and if not, it will be part of the pre-show announcement. If your child does NOT have a line in the show, it means they declined when offered the chance to say a line. 

How early can I drop my child off?

We start at 9am. Please do not drop your child off before 8:55am, unless you have made special arrangements at least 24 hours in advance to pay staff to supervise your child. There will not be adults there to supervise your child before 8:55 without prior arrangements. 

What does a typical day look like?

At 9am we start with a game, then do physical and vocal warmup. Next we split into our 3 groups (acting, singing, dance) and tackle one scene/song at a time!  

Do you do snack time?

We do not. We recommend having a snack in the car on the ride in or the ride home. Students may have a water break whenever they need one.

What if I can’t get my child at 12pm?

We release students promptly at 12pm. If you can’t be there on time, it's your responsibility to make other arrangements. We recommend having a friend in the workshop who would be willing to hang out with your child if you are running late. A Facebook group has been set up so that parents can connect, if you need a buddy to help you with carpooling or pickup.  Late fees will be assessed for campers who are not picked up on time, as your fee does not cover renting the theatre or having staff past noon.

Does my child need a resume or headshot?

No. We record their responses to verbal questions about their background in acting, dance, music, and their previous shows. For our older campers, we walk them through filling out an audition form with their experience. We take photos of each group that auditions.

My student is neurodivergent. Can they do your show?

Absolutely! Theatre is for everyone, and we have never turned down a student who wants to participate. Our own daughter has special needs. We do not need to know your child’s diagnosis or medical information, but it’s very important that you let us know how we can help your child. We want everyone to have a good time at rehearsal, so if there are triggers we should be aware of, they must be communicated before the workshop begins. If your student has an aide at school, you may want to consider sending them to rehearsal with additional support as well, because we do not have staff for 1:1 help. 

What do you do for food allergies?

If parents disclose that there are food allergies, we verify that they are ok to sit with peers who bring in that item. If they need a separate location or for students to wash hands after eating, we are happy to accommodate. We also check in with the parents before the cast party to see if their child is independent about selecting foods, or if an adult needs to read food labels.

Do you have an attendance policy?

We require a list of absences on the first day of the workshop. It is standard in the theatre world for you to have your "conflicts" when you audition for a show. Your student may bring the list with them, or you may send it via email or Remind. We want your children to be confident onstage, and the key to that is having them present to learn their songs, dances and scenes. Communication is the most important part of attendance. The earlier we know about an absence, the better. We understand that it’s the weekend, and we want your family to have a variety of experiences. If we have advance notice, we can plan around absences. However, absences are not permitted the month of November (1 rehearsal and the show). If your child is ill, please reach out to us as soon as you know they will be out, and let them recover at home so that it doesn’t spread to the camp.

Will my child have a costume?

 Yes, all children will have costumes, but you do not pay a costume fee, so the costumes belong to Young Actors, or the company where they have been rented. We may ask you to bring in a “base layer”, such as an undershirt and shorts, or a certain color of leggings. Sneakers are usually fine (as long as they don’t light up), but dance shoes are also permitted. You shouldn’t need to buy new shoes for the show.

Are cell phones allowed at rehearsal?

We pride ourselves in being a workshop that promotes kindness and inclusion, because instead of having screen time in downtime, our kids support and get to know each other. Phone usage is not allowed between 9am-12pm. If you need to reach your child, please reach out to the directors via Remind.

Should my child be practicing at home?

Yes! Before the workshop begins, you will receive an email with the website for our practice materials. You’ll find practice tracks of the music, videos of choreography, and a list of what we have worked on (with corresponding deadlines). We expect kids to be able to perform their scenes, songs and dances without peeking at a script or relying on others by the next rehearsal, since they will have a week to practice.

How will my child know if they are prepared for each deadline?

On the due date, your child should be able to perform a song/dance using the performance tracks without the voices - without stopping. You may follow along in your script if you’d like to help. For scenes, if you read a cue line (another actor’s line), they should be able to say their line correctly at the appropriate time. There is time to practice at camp. We do not expect parents to work with kids outside of camp. However, if we are concerned that your child has not learned their parts by the deadline, we will reach out to parents.

Where is the theatre?

Elmwood Commons (3200 Elmwood Ave., Tonawanda 14217)

When you turn in the driveway, you'll see a sign on a tree pointing to the Comedy Playhouse and Theatre (Door 4).

Head to the back parking lot, and if you look to your left, you'll see Door 4, with the theatre masks.

Upon entering, you'll see the directory sign. Head to the right, and into the theatre.