Story Drama
Grades K4 - 1
Through creative drama, young actors will bring their favourite stories to life through the exploration of setting, plot, and character choices to develop beginning acting skills.
First Stage Theater Academy is the nation’s largest high impact theatre training program for young people. A wide variety of classes for students in grades K4-12 are offered in Fall, Winter, and Spring sessions throughout the school year. Led by professional theatre teaching artists, students will learn new acting skills including Musical Theater, Acting, and Improvisation, developing stage skills while simultaneously building life skills, such as confidence, focus, and teamwork.
Click here to view our 2024-2025 School Year Academy Brochure!
ACCESS FOR ALL
Through the generous support of individuals, foundations, and corporations, First Stage Theater Academy continues to make programming more accessible to our community. Starting in the 2024-25 Season, qualifying families and individuals can enjoy up to 85% scholarships for our Theater Academy. We aim to ensure financial constraints don't prevent anyone from the joy of theater.
SPRING BREAK ACADEMY IS BACK!
March 24 – 28, 2025
9AM – 3PM
Milwaukee Youth Arts Center
ONE-WEEK ROTATION (GRADES 3-4)
Students will learn life skills through stage skills rotating through Acting, Improvisation, and Musical Theater classes, all in one week!
PAGE TO STAGE (GRADES 5-12)
Students will work with professional theater artists to craft a unique theatrical production in only one week!
School Year Academy 2024/2025 Dates:
- Fall Academy, Tuesdays OR Saturdays, October 1 – November 9, 2024
- Winter Academy, Tuesdays OR Saturdays, January 14 – February 22, 2025
- Spring Break Academy, March 24 – 28, 2025
- Spring Academy, Tuesdays OR Saturdays, April 5 – May 10, 2025
- School Year Intensives
- Fall Academy @ Sharon Lynne Wilson Center, Saturdays, September 28 – October 19, 2024
- Winter Academy @ Sharon Lynne Wilson Center, Saturdays, January 18, February 1, February 15, February 22, 2025
- Spring Academy @ Sharon Lynne Wilson Center, Saturdays, March 15, March 29, April 5, April 12, 2025
- Fall Academy @ Oak Creek Performing Arts & Education Center, Saturdays, September 28 – November 2, 2024
- Winter Academy @ Oak Creek Performing Arts & Education Center, Saturdays, January 18 – February 22, 2025
- Spring Academy @ Sharon Lynne Wilson Center, Saturdays, April 5 – May 10, 2025
Story Drama
Playmakers
Grades 1-2
Young actors will go on a new adventure each week as they utilize improvisation techniques to create their own characters and stories, and further develop their beginning acting skills.
Acting Fundamentals
Grades 3-12
Students will work with theater professionals to establish performance skills, deepen their knowledge of theatre, and become confident in themselves as actors - and as people. Lessons are inspired by specific scenes or songs from popular shows and musicals.
Musical Theater Fundamentals
Grades 3-12
Musical theatre is the art of telling a story through words, music, and movement. Every session will offer new vocal and dance techniques to work on utilizing age-appropriate songs from popular musicals.
Electives
Grades 5-12
Electives allow students to focus on a specific area of their craft, including Stage Combat, Design, and others.
School Year Intensives
For Grades 5-12
Some of our most concentrated and focused classes, dive into the disciplines of Acting, Musical Theater, Improvisation, and Design.
Next Steps
For Students on the Autism Spectrum
Next Steps classes are highly specialized and designed for both verbal and non-verbal students, students with classic autism, PDD-NOS, other sensory processing disorders, and Asperger's.