Why Theatre Arts Education?

Academy at Civic Theatre (A.C.T.) works with students to develop and strengthen listening, communication, and creative problem-solving skills. These are core stage skills for any performer, but they are so much more. That’s a nice thing to say, but what do we mean by that?

These core skills are vital to just about anything students will pursue in life. Learning to listen, to truly be engaged and focused on where you are, is invaluable. There are more and more distractions in the world that splinter our focus, and theatre education is a fun and effective way to train ourselves to block those distractions out when necessary.

The communication skills we work on also carry well beyond the stage. Simple but vital skills like eye contact and articulation are at the heart of our A.C.T. programs. There’s a big difference talking to a young person who stares at their feet the whole time as opposed to looking you in the eye when they speak. Eye contact speaks to a confidence level that we work to develop. And with electronic devices doing more and more of the talking for us, exercising these communication muscles becomes more and more important.

And what do we mean by “creative problem-solving” skills? When we work with our students at A.C.T., we make sure they know that acting is not about being perfect. Mistakes happen in almost every single live performance they will ever see. They will probably not notice 95% of those mistakes because actors are trained to not focus on them, but rather to keep moving forward with the story. While we always work with students on ways to minimize mistakes, the more important work we do with them is training them on how to deal with a mistake when it does happen. When something goes wrong, do you shut down and give up, or do you stay calm and allow your brain to figure out how to make it right? We provide a safe and supportive environment for kids to learn how to positively navigate the mistakes that will inevitably pop up.

Theatre Arts education helps equip students with the tools they will need in whatever endeavor they choose to pursue. We are not focused on developing the next generation of actors and singers and dancers. Rather, we are focused on helping develop the next generation of well-rounded, civic-minded young people who are prepared to overcome whatever obstacles lie ahead for them. We just get to do it in a really, really fun way!

 

~Doug Jarecki
Education & Outreach Administrator

Summertime and the Livin’ is Easy

This summer is shaping up to be an exciting one here at WCT. The Academy at Civic Theatre program is in full swing, offering a pair two-week summer camps, a comedy benefit fundraiser, and a summer-long musical theatre class culminating in performances open to the public. The Civic sponsors both Friday Night Live and Saturday Farmer’s Market performers and is open during these events as well as Art Crawls and downtown parades. Summer also sees our final mainstage performance of the 58th season, as well as auditions and rehearsals for upcoming fall shows and special performances from ACAP and other groups. This summer, WCT is the place to be!

JUNE

June 5-21 Father of the Bride When Stanley Banks’ daughter Kay announces her engagement, her family is thrilled–but all Stanley can see is the catering bill, the dressmaking bill, and the ever-expanding guest list. Father of the Bride is a funny, heartfelt story of a father’s love for his daughter.

June 15-26 A.C.T. June Summer Session The first of two summer camps from the Academy at Civic Theatre, the June summer session offers two weeks packed full of theatre classes for kids from ages 4-19. Classes offered range from Musical Madness to Incredible Improv. Check out the website for more information including classes, dates and times, and prices. If you register by May 30th, you’ll receive a special discount!

June 27 June Summer Showcase Come and see all the hard work the kids of the A.C.T. program have put into their classes. There are two shows: 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Tickets are $10 for adults, $8 for students, seniors, and military, and $6 for subscribers.

Every Friday! Friday Night Live Every summer Friday night, the City of Waukesha shuts down traffic and opens up for live performers and entertainment in the streets of downtown. WCT sponsors a performer in front of the theatre each Friday night.

Every Saturday! Farmers’ Market The Civic Theatre is open to the public during every summer Farmers’ Market. We sponsor a live performer every Friday, so be sure to check them out!

Ongoing Auditions Make sure you check back often. We’ll be scheduling auditions for upcoming shows, including A Little Night Music and The Turn of the Screw. If you’re interested, keep an eye on this link to see when auditions will be scheduled.

JULY

July 4 Music in America Parade WCT will be taking part in the City of Waukesha’s Independence Day Parade. Come check us out!

July 10-12 Tempest Island Prospero and his daughter Miranda have been cast off to a lonely island filled with magic and spirits. Prospero plots revenge against those who have wronged him in this musical comedy adaptation of the Shakespeare play, presented by the ACAP Players.

July 17-18 Our Way Come hear the wonderful songs of Nat King Cole, including “Mona Lisa,” “Unforgettable,” “Ramblin’ Rose,” “When I Fell in Love,” and many more.

July 24 Dynamite Comedy This yearly comedy show benefits the Academy at Civic Theatre. Check it out and enjoy all new jokes, new songs, and new scenes!

July 31-August 9 Shrek the Musical Jr. In a faraway land filled with magical misfits, one particularly ill-tempered ogre must undertake a great quest to get his home swamp back. Produced as part of an ACT class designed to teach young performers about every aspect of the theatre, this show is great fun for the whole family!

Every Friday! Friday Night Live Every summer Friday night, the City of Waukesha shuts down traffic and opens up for live performers and entertainment in the streets of downtown. WCT sponsors a performer in front of the theatre each Friday night.

Every Saturday! Farmers’ Market The Civic Theatre is open to the public during every summer Farmers’ Market. We sponsor a live performer every Friday, so be sure to check them out!

Ongoing Auditions Make sure you check back often. We’ll be scheduling auditions for upcoming shows, including A Little Night Music and The Turn of the Screw. If you’re interested, keep an eye on this link to see when auditions will be scheduled.

AUGUST

July 31-August 9 Shrek the Musical Jr. In a faraway land filled with magical misfits, one particularly ill-tempered ogre must undertake a great quest to get his home swamp back. Produced as part of an ACT class designed to teach young performers about every aspect of the theatre, this show is great fun for the whole family!

August 1 Art Crawl The Waukesha Civic Theatre is open for every downtown Art Crawl. Come on in and check out the Waukesha State Bank Art Gallery!

August 2 Mama, A Rainbow: A Concert Tribute To Conne Smith This special one-night-only performance honors Conne Smith. In 1963, she had a vision for a children’s theater company to offer training and production opportunities for the youth of Waukesha. Now, original members reunite from across the country to celebrate the woman who gave them their start. All tickets are $25.

August 3-7 Lights! Camera! Action! A special one-week class offered by A.C.T. that teaches students how to act and direct for the camera. Students will showcase their completed work at the end of the class.

August 10-22 August Summer Session The second of two summer camps from the Academy at Civic Theatre, the August summer session offers two weeks packed full of theatre classes for kids from ages 4-19. Classes offered range from Dance Fever to Acting Up. Check out the website for more information including classes, dates and times, and prices. If you register by July 24th, you’ll receive a special discount!

August 22 August Summer Showcase Come and see all the hard work the kids of the A.C.T. program have put into their classes. There are two shows: 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Tickets are $10 for adults, $8 for students, seniors, and military, and $6 for subscribers.

Every Friday! Friday Night Live Every summer Friday night, the City of Waukesha shuts down traffic and opens up for live performers and entertainment in the streets of downtown. WCT sponsors a performer in front of the theatre each Friday night.

Every Saturday! Farmers’ Market The Civic Theatre is open to the public during every summer Farmers’ Market. We sponsor a live performer every Friday, so be sure to check them out!

Ongoing Auditions Make sure you check back often. We’ll be scheduling auditions for upcoming shows, including The Turn of the Screw and Candy Cane Tales and Holiday Carols. If you’re interested, keep an eye on this link to see when auditions will be scheduled.

There is plenty going on behind the scenes at WCT all summer! Auditions and rehearsals for fall shows like A Little Night Music are in full swing. The Play Advisory Committee is hard at work considering dozens of scripts for the 2016-2017 season. Improvements from the “Spotlight on the Future” capital campaign are underway. WCT is a vibrant and active place to be in any season!