CSFAC Offers Youth Summer Programs with Performances, 7/15-18

The Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center offers three summer programs for aspiring theatre arts students. Nearly 120 local students are participating in a hands-on, intensive, theatre arts learning experience that will culminate in two diverse productions July 15-18, featuring songs and scenes from the best musicals and playwrights, plus film, commercials and more.

The FAC Theatre School or F.A.C.T.S. is a brand-new theatre program for students 5-18, comprised of three linear programs: Music Box Theatre (ages 5-9), Theatre Journeys (10-13) and Youth Repertory Theatre (14-18). All three programs finish with a final performance. The Youth Repertory Theatre presentation is open to the public.

"We have pooled our time and resources to fuel all three workshops," said Alan Osburn, FAC Director of Performing Arts. "This is a unique program. Kids ages 5-18 get to act, build, paint, sew and hang lights: all taught by theatre professionals."

Music Box Theatre
June 28 - July 2

For kids, ages 5-9, Music Box Theatre introduces kids to the world of world of musical theatre in a five-day class through improvisation, writing, dancing, singing, creating, and sheer fun. Children learn about auditions, choreography, writing bios and taking head shots. At the end of the five days, the kids show what they've learned with a final performance.

Theatre Journeys
June 28 - July 2 and July 5-9

This is a two-week workshop for 10-13 year-olds that focuses on learning the basics of musical theatre and expanding upon theatre experience. Students will explore the basics of stage direction, script development, audition preparation, stage management, technical direction, makeup, movement. During the class, students hone their theatre skills through improvisation exercises, theatre games, and discussion with guest artists, while practicing time management, hard work, discipline and respect.

Youth Repertory Theatre 2010
June 14 - July 14

The Youth Repertory Theatre program is the only professional training program for student actors and technicians in the Pikes Peak Region. In its 11th year at the FAC, Youth Repertory Theatre provides training for performance and technical/design students, ages 14 to 18, who are interested in a career in the theatre arts. Classes are taught by professional actors, directors, choreographers, designers, and technicians. The class schedule is rigorous - eight hours a day, five days a week - blending studio classes, lectures, labs, rehearsals and performance experiences. This year's boasts the largest enrollment of performance students with 48 with 13 technical students.

Two professionally-produced performances were specially-designed to showcase each student's abilities and talent. Faculty members from local and regional colleges and universities, plus talent agents and casting directors from Denver, have been invited. The performances are directed and choreographed by professionals, designed by the tech/design students and performed by the performance students at the SaG?Ji Theatre. For the first time ever the performances will include film and commercial segments by the students.

Aiming For The Stars
July 16, 7:30 p.m. | July 18, 2:00 p.m.

This performance features work by William Shakespeare, Stephen Sondheim, Cole Porter, Julia Jordan, William Shakespeare, and Tom Stoppard; alongside show excerpts from Wicked, Hairspray, Billy Elliot, Spring Awakening, The Producers, Avenue Q, 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Hairspray, and others. Rated PG.

Art Isn't Easy
July 15, 7:30 p.m. | July 17, 7:30 p.m.

This performance features the work of David Mamet, Richard Nash, David Auburn, Neil LaBute, Beth Henley, Richard Dresser, Donald Margulies and Moliere alongside show excerpts from West Side Story, Chicago, Falsettos, Damn Yankees, Les Miserables, Next To Normal, Falsettos, Scarlett Pimpernel, Damn Yankees, and others. Rated PG13.

Tickets are available online or at the door. They are $15.00 for FAC members and $17.00 for non-members.