Our Summer Academy is a tuition-free theatre education program that has run for over 30 years. High school students (from incoming freshman to graduating seniors) learn hands-on exactly what it’s like to work on a professional musical theatre production. How? We assign them actual jobs on our crew - from lighting, sound design, and set construction to wardrobe, marketing, and front of house - and pair them with industry mentors to show them the ropes! Our apprentices (the Summer Academy participants) also attend various workshops led by industry professionals on topics such as auditioning, playwriting, acting technique, and stage combat. AND our apprentices even work on their own production, all guided by our Summer Academy Coordinator Olivia Marques.
In 2025, we will be expanding our educational programming to include senior citizens. We are very excited to launch our pilot program at the Fairhaven Senior Center - a Golden Girls acting workshop. Engaging with theatre can have many benefits for the senior population: increased social interaction, a sense of accomplishment and purpose, lifelong learning, and personal growth. Theatre involves mental tasks (like memorizing lines and understanding character motivations and plot developments) and creative problem-solving that enhances cognitive flexibility for senior citizens.
