WELCOME TO THE ACADEMY

ABOUT THE ACADEMY

For more than a decade, Lake Country Playhouse Academy has provided year-round theatre education to students ages 4-18 throughout the Lake Country community and beyond.

Our mission is to foster a culture of positivity, inclusivity, and respect where every student feels welcome, supported, and inspired to grow. Through our programming, students develop the 7 C’s of Theatre:

Creativity, Confidence, Communication, Compassion, Collaboration, Critical Thinking, and Challenge.

The Academy offers students a theatrical home where they can explore, take creative risks, build meaningful connections, and grow in character—both on and off the stage.

Fall Classes

Internships

Youth auditions

UNDERSTANDING CLASS LEVELS
Academy classes are organized into four developmental levels so families can easily find programming that matches a student’s age, experience, and interests.

Age recommendations are guidelines. Previous experience, maturity, and instructor approval may also be considered.

FINDING THE RIGHT CLASS
Classes may be repeated from session to session. Activities, scenes, songs, and projects change as students continue building their skills.

BEGINNER CLASSES | Ages 4+

Beginner classes introduce young students to theatre through imagination, movement, music, and play. No previous experience is required.

Typical class length: 35–40 minutes
Favorite stories come to life through creative drama, theatre games, movement, and imaginative play. Students explore characters, settings, and story structure while developing confidence, communication, and collaboration.
Typical class length: 35–45 minutes
A first musical theatre experience for young performers! Students explore acting, singing, and simple choreography while rehearsing material inspired by a favorite musical or theme. The class emphasizes confidence, creativity, and ensemble participation.
Typical class length: 35–40 minutes
Young performers explore storytelling through music and movement. Students develop coordination, rhythm, body awareness, and creative expression through age-appropriate dance activities and combinations.

FOUNDATIONAL CLASSES | Ages 7+

Foundational classes help students build the essential tools used by theatre performers. Students develop confidence, creativity, collaboration, and an understanding of the rehearsal process.

Students fill their Actor Toolbox with the essential skills needed to create strong characters and tell compelling stories. Through theatre games, ensemble exercises, improvisation, and introductory scene work, students activate their bodies, voices, and imaginations.
Typical class length: 55 minutes
Students learn how to approach theatrical auditions with preparation and confidence. Depending on the session focus, students may practice songs, monologues, cold readings, dance combinations, résumés, slates, and professional audition-room etiquette.
Typical class length: 55 minutes
Students learn foundational musical theatre dance technique, terminology, and performance skills. Classes may incorporate jazz, ballet, and other Broadway styles while developing coordination, musicality, confidence, and storytelling through movement.
Typical class length: 55 minutes
No scripts—just imagination! Students learn to think quickly, trust their instincts, and build scenes together through energetic improvisation games. The class develops collaboration, creativity, flexibility, and comedic timing while reinforcing the principle of “Yes, and.”
Typical class length: 55 minutes
Students strengthen their acting, singing, and dancing skills while rehearsing songs and scenes from a selected musical or theme. The class introduces rehearsal etiquette, memorization, character choices, choreography, and ensemble performance.
Typical class length: 70-90 minutes

ADVANCED CLASSES | Ages 12+

Advanced programming is designed for experienced and committed performers who are ready to engage with challenging material and a more rigorous rehearsal process.

Admission by audition or instructor approval. Previous experience required.

Ready to take your acting to the next level? Students with a foundation of acting skills dive deeper with more challenging material in this advanced acting class. This class encourages literacy, attention to detail, self-discovery!
Typical class length: 70-90 minutes

INTERMEDIATE CLASSES | Ages 10+

Intermediate classes allow students to apply foundational skills to more focused areas of theatre training. Students work with greater independence, detail, and personal responsibility.

Students learn to approach musical theatre songs as actors as well as singers. Through lyric and character analysis, students explore objectives, relationships, emotional transitions, physical choices, and truthful storytelling.
Typical class length: 55 minutes
Students learn how to select, analyze, rehearse, and perform monologues with confidence. Through individualized coaching and group exercises, students explore character, objectives, vocal and physical choices, pacing, and connection to the audience.
Typical class length: 55 minutes
Students transform written material and original ideas into theatrical scenes. Depending on the session, they may adapt stories, analyze scripts, develop characters, write dialogue, direct classmates, and rehearse their work for presentation.
Typical class length: 70-90 minutes
Students learn how actors create the illusion of physical conflict safely and convincingly. Under the guidance of a qualified instructor, students explore stage-combat vocabulary, safety procedures, partnering, reactions, storytelling, and choreographed movement.
Typical class length: 55 minutes
Students explore how costumes communicate character, setting, time period, and story. Projects may include design research, sketching, measurement, hand sewing, machine sewing, alterations, accessories, and practical production work.
Typical class length: 90-120 minutes
Students discover how theatrical properties help create the world of a production. Projects may include design research, crafting, painting, repurposing materials, sourcing objects, organization, and creating functional items for the stage.
Typical class length: 90-120 minutes
Students explore how lighting and sound help shape the mood, focus, and storytelling of a production. Projects may include learning basic equipment and safety, creating lighting looks and sound cues, working with microphones and effects, following a cue sheet, and practicing how technical elements are operated during rehearsals and performances.
Typical class length: 90-120 minutes

PRODUCTION WORKSHOPS
Academy productions give students the opportunity to apply their skills through a complete rehearsal and performance process. Students work with a creative team to develop characters, learn staging, music, choreography, and technical elements, and present a fully produced show for an audience.