Drayton Entertainment Youth Academy has opened registration for weekly classes this fall. The six-week long fall session begins on Sept. 5 and features more classes than ever in response to high demand, a news release says.
The session will feature several types of classes for ages 8-10, youth (11-13), teens (14-18) and adults (19+).
Musical theatre ensemble class is perfect if you love to sing, move and act.
Scripted acting teaches students about character development by introducing them to text analysis techniques using age and level appropriate monologues and scenes from a wide range of published plays.
In the improv class, students will explore acting through improvisation, non-scripted storytelling, and drama-based games, all while learning through play, imagination, and spontaneity.
Open to students aged 16 and up, the Youth Academy’s technical theatre class will provide participants with insider knowledge of, and an appreciation for, what happens behind-the-scenes. This overview training will instill practical knowledge from a different department each week: lighting design, costume design and construction, props design and construction, set design with carpentry and paint, sound design, stage management, and more.
On Wednesday evenings, the Youth Academy will offer its adult-only social hour, where adults at all levels of experience are welcome to have fun, socialize, and learn some moves for the dance floor. No dance training is required for this class.
The Drayton Entertainment Youth Academy is led by associate artistic director and director of education David Connolly. As one of only two amputees to have ever performed on Broadway, he is an advocate who’s deeply committed to matters concerning inclusion in the arts, the release said. As an educator, he has been an adjunct professor, director, and adviser to the musical theatre performance programs at Sheridan College, Randolph College, Fanshawe College, St Lawrence College, VanderCook College and most recently, the Hopkins Centre for the Arts at Dartmouth College. He holds an honours bachelor degree in musical theatre performance from Sheridan College and is a recipient of the Premier of Ontario’s Award of Excellence.
As registration surged in the Spring Session, causing many classes to fill to capacity, the class schedule has been expanded to Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays for the fall session. The cost of the six-week session is $96 + HST, with multi-class and family discounts available. Families experiencing financial barriers should contact the Drayton Entertainment Youth Academy.
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