School For Young Performers

GTT’s School for Young Performers (SYP) is designed to the enrich young lives through the use of musical theatre arts and to serve as a greenhouse for cultivating young musical theatre performers. The SYP program offers professional musical theatre training for young people ages 8-18 in a variety of programs and exposes students to professonal training in the disciplines of Acting, Singing/Voice, Theatre Dance, Tap Dance and Ballet.

Career minded individuals can prepare for the rigors of a professional career yet students not aiming for a professional career benefit from the program with its emphasis on discipline, self-worth and development of communication skills.

This program is unique in that all SYP Instructors have a history of teaching experience and practical experience in their respective art forms. The School For Young Performers is Administrated by GTT's Associate Producer, Julie Greenberg, who also serves as Director of GTT's Educational Development.

Justin Boccitto, Executive Director of GTT's Educational Outreach wing is supported by Michael Blevins, who acts as Artistic Director of SYP and often serves as Principal Instructor for the school's diverse educational programs.

In-School Programs

Group Theatre Too's In School Performing Arts programs provides many unique experiences for the student including professional instructors with both practical and classroom experience in their respective disciplines. GTT works with each and every individual school to develop a program that features training and experience in the performing arts. See Descriptions below:

THEATRE: Acting

Theatre workers on all levels get a stimulating workout and much practical information on the mechanics of Acting. A series of exercises for developing concentration, sensory responses, pantomime, improvisation, oral interpretation and body movement are employed throughout the rehearsal/production process. Theatre games further challenge the actor's spontaneity and ability to be more aware of hi/her own feelings, attitudes and values. The objective of the actor's training is to develop skill in voice and body so that he/she is free to move and speak in a way that is significant, projectile and appropriate. A rich lode of essential truths for the actor so that he/she possesses an expressive and controlled instrument.

DANCE: Tap & Theatre Dance

THEATRE DANCE covers the principles, teheories and practice of dance styles and forms of the musical theatre including traditional jazz and funk. The experience offered is geared for all levels: Advanced Beginning, Intermediate, Advanced, and Professional. The program appropriately challenges the student at each level. Advanced Beginning students acquire technique and strength from traditional warm-ups and simple combinations. Intermediate students reinforce basic technique, and increase flexibility while exploring different styles and a variety of routines. Advanced students strive for greater extension, polish, turning ability, and heightened elevation. Top level performing students focus on many different choroegraphers and their styles, and begin to recognize dance as visual music and a continuation of character and plotline. Activities also include exploring varied time periods and musical styles. Students at every level of Theatre Dance develop coordination, flexibility, strength and endurance.

Tap Dancing classes offer the beginning student an excellent foundation for this discipline. Beginning tappers acquire basic technique and rhythm through the use of the shuffle, flap, ball-change, hop, heel, spank and other beginning steps. Intermediate tappers continue basic technique training and focus on control, speed and smoothness while exploring syncopation and learning longer combinations and routines. Simple combinations and routines help these students emphasize strong technique, musicality and rhythm. Advanced tappers work in the smaller "hoofing" style or "rhythm tap", choreography. Advanced tappers sustain strong technique and polish rhythmically complicated routines, turning combinations imporvisation, and close floor work with focus on speed and clarity of sound. Technique and growth are prompted through the learning of numerous routines and varying styles of tap including "rhythm tap", "soft-shoe", "clog", "time-steps", "broadway" and "improvisation". Students of tap at every level of tap dancing develop coordination, rhythm, strenght and stamina.

VOICE: Singing

Students are easily introduced to vocal performance through the rehearsal/production process and the experience is centered around building vocal range and flexibility. Students will learn how correct breathing technique insures proper vocal production and protects against damage from imporper use of the the voice. Students focus on developing their individual style and an awareness of his/her unique instrument. The process offers insight to musical phrasing, proper diction, pitch and tone. Pupils gain confidence and experience through group exercises and one-on-one coaching. There is a concentration on carrying individual harmony parts aw well as group choral dynamics. Vocal production is strengthened through rudimentary breathing a vocal blending exercises. Students learn and execute chorus numbers from standard Broadway show scores. Skills learned are valuable for both the accomplished singer as well as the actor/singer and the dancer/singer. Advanced Singers who possess a working knowledge of proper breathing and vocal techingue will emphasize and explore the song as a continuation of the script in the realm of musical theatre. Students will begin to use tone and color to give depth and meaning toa song; both in the context of a full-length performance and in the audition situation. Students learn to combine thier acting and singing training to create the unique and demanding performance style of musical theatre.

SMALL SCALE PRODUCTION

The production and staging of straight one-act plays. Students rehearse and appear in these short pieces of theatre during the Festival of Shows. This is a hands-on performance oriented class and is an excellent opportunity for the beginner to gain experience and for the accomplished to hone their craft. Participants exercise concentration, characterization, and memorization as they are taken through the audition, casting, rehearsal and performance process. Pupils gain skill in taking direction, commitment and teamwork and are tested through fully produced public performance.

FULL-SCALE PRODUCTION

The production and staging of a full-length straight play, comedy or drama or the mounting of a musical. This hands-on class focuses on process and develops skill in all areas of the performing arts including acting, dance, and music. This positive and productive experience offers participants an opportunity to work closely with professional director and choreographer and musical directors.

STAGE COMBAT & PHYSICAL ACTING

The basics of "stage fighting" are covered in this exciting course. As students learn the rudiments of hand-to-hand combat, they develop skills that go beyond safely executing staged slaps, punches, hair pulling and bites. Stage Combat employs exercises designed to encourage eye contact, agility, balance and timing. The class activities also promote safety, teamwork, trust, respect and responsibility. Combininb their own creativity with the combat skills learned, students create a variety of dramatic and comic fight scenes to be presented before the general public.

For more info or to schedule a professional performing arts in-school or in-studio workshop contact: [email protected]