Details of Our Group:
Belasco Theatre Company strives to teach children the power of their own potential. Focused on excellence, talent and hard work, students involved grow with each performance. They are taught the importance of transporting the audience to another time and place by “staying in the moment” on stage. Simultaneously, they gain confidence, responsibility, practice team-work and they create life-long memories and friendships. Even if they do not end up pursuing theatre in their future, kids involved grow and gain knowledge they will hold onto for a lifetime. They also have a blast with the entire process!
BTC is a unique program for young people, providing instruction in the basic components of performing arts (drama, improvisation, auditioning, projection, staging, voice and dance) and allowing students to experience the rigors of musical comedy theatre. Well-qualified choreographers and vocal instructors provide additional training and collaborate with the director during auditions and productions. In addition, professional set, costume and make-up designers contribute to the overall high quality of BTC productions well known to South Bay audiences for the last 10 years. BTC is also unique because we give the students an opportunity to shine and grow on stage over 2-3 weekends. This trains them for future experiences in college and professional theatre.
All children between the ages of 7 and 18 are invite to join the company and participate in the shows. With a smaller amount of students, each child involved grows with personal attention from teachers.
Once in the group, students audition for roles in each show. Every student is expected to perform at all shows, being fully and enthusiastically involved whether as a main character or in a supporting role. Shows are all double cast to allow for more opportunity.
Please be aware, being a cast member in the shows or a parent of a cast member is a significant commitment.
For cast members of productions:
Rehearsals are generally 1 to 2 times per week for several hours each depending on their role in the show (after school on Tuesdays (4:00-6:30pm) and on dance rehearsals on Sundays from 1-4pm)
The week before the production (e.g. tech week) there are practices every day after school from 4-9 PM.
During performances, cast members must expect to be at the theatre Friday from 5:30PM to 10:30PM, Saturday from 12PM to 10:30PM and Sunday from 12PM to 5PM.
For parents:
There is a monthly student tuition fee for each production that includes tuition, tickets and costume fee (we do offer scholarships if it is a hardship)
There are also expenses for makeup and miscellaneous items.
Parents must volunteer to help with the shows as set crew, green room parent, usher or other similar activity. Plan to work about 4-5 shows (about 20 hours of work) each run.