Quick 5 Interview with new CTA Board of Directors member, Jennifer Politte
CTA: What motivated you to join CTA’s Board of Directors?
JENNIFER: CTA has given a lot to our family AND I believe deeply in what CTA stands for in the community. I wanted to give back to CTA and joining the BOD is my way of doing that.
CTA: What special skills/experience do you bring to this position?
JENNIFER: I love theater! I was a professional dancer and have been choreographing for kids and teens for several years. I also love to create art through painting, costume design, drawing, etc. Planning and organization are also a few things I enjoy doing.
CTA: How has theatre impacted your life?
JENNIFER: Theater has provided a place for expression and creativity, as well as a sense of discipline that has served me my whole life. I feel like theater and all creative arts have a way of reaching those places in us that we all share and can bring us closer together.
CTA: Why do you think theatre education is important for our youth?
JENNIFER: I have seen over and over how theater can reach some kids in a way that nothing else can. Theater provides a community where kids can fully be themselves. Whether it is onstage or backstage, I find that theater gives kids a place where they can grow, explore and discover who they are.
CTA: What is your favorite play or musical?
JENNIFER: I have to pick just one?!? I’d have to say… “Chicago” and “A Chorus Line”
Children’s Theatre of Annapolis
Alice in Wonderland
What is Expected When You Audition for a Non-musical Production? Click here!
Alice Audition Pieces. Click here! NOTE: Actors do not need to memorize these poems. If the like the “Jabberwockey” they should pick a section of the poem to read, not the entire poem. The director is looking for a grasp of the language and storytelling. Actors should be comfortable with their selected piece and not doing a cold read at the audition.
Alice in Wonderland Character Description, In order of appearance. Click here!
Here is a link to the Registration form. Here is a link to the Sign up Genius.
Classes start in September! Click here for more information and to register!
MUSICAL THEATRE PRODUCTION WORKSHOP :: Ages 7 – 18
The Claw
By: Denver Casado, Jessica Penzias, Kerry Kazmierowicztrimm,Christyn Budzyna & Jack Mitchell … Apprentice: Eli Cohen … Orchestrations: Andrew FoxWhen an out-of-order claw game suddenly turns back on, all of the toys are ecstatic! Well… all of the toys except for Dot, a terrified stuffed cow. Dot’s desperate to hold onto her home and her best friend, Aiden. Can Dot conquer her fear of the unknown with some help from the Flair Bears, Mighty Mutant Power Turtles, Beanie Elders, and the all-knowing Mystical 8-ball?
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Through theatre production workshops students gain experience and knowledge in acting techniques, improvisation, characterization, movement, props, scenery, and much more. These workshops conclude with a final performance on our main stage. In production workshops, teamwork is a major focus and all participants are guaranteed a role. We encourage students with all levels of experience to attend. * NOTE: Theatre Production Workshop show titles are subject to change due to cast size and requirements.
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AGES: 7-18
WHEN: 5:30-7:30 p.m.; Mondays, October 7, 2024-January 13, 2025 (no class 11/25, 12/23, 12/30) Final performance at 7:30pm on January 13, 2025
TEACHING ARTIST: Miss Tiffany (Tiffany Shannon Productions) has been studying dance & theatre for over 30 years. She has performed professionally in MD & VA by the age of 10. She has trained at Towson University, The Studio Theatre in DC, AACC, Palomar College and CA University in San Marcos. She has performed on many stages and has been teaching voice, drama & dance for the past 15 years. Click here for more information on Miss Tiffany.
Your tuition includes:
- Registration fee
- Production materials (script & access to digital recording of rehearsal tracks)
- CTA workshop t-shirt
- Direction / instruction from trained and experienced artistic team
- Sets, props, sounds, performance music tracks, stage mics, and lights for final performance
- 12 weeks / 2 hours per week of instruction, dress rehearsal, and 1 live performance
- Complimentary admission for friends and family to attend the final performance
NOTE: Individual costumes will be the responsibility of the actor. CTA will provide specialty costumes and accessories.
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ANNUAL REGISTRATION POLICY: All participants must pay an annual registration fee ($20 for one or more students within the same family) to participate in a workshop/camp. Valid from July 1st through June 30th annually.
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CANCELLATION POLICY:
- Minimum of 3 weeks prior to class: Full refund minus the annual registration fee.
- 2 weeks prior to class: Refund minus $75 administrative fee and annual registration fee.
- First day of class or later: No refund.
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- Written by Ines Cortada; Photo: Fotolia.com
The benefits of participating in performing arts programs are valuable and numerous. Some benefits include emotional, social, physical, and even academic. Further, according to David Murphey, Research Fellow and Director of The Child Trends Databank, participation in performing arts programs is related to various positive personal and academic outcomes, improving child development as a whole, enhancing cognitive, motor, and social skills.
Arts programs help build self-confidence. Various aspects of performing arts classes, from improvisation to performing on stage, will help your child build confidence and self-assurance. They will learn to explore outside of their comfort zone, appraise new situations, think outside the box, express their thoughts and ideas in a safe environment, solve problems, cope with performance and presentation fears, and build trust and self-reliance. All of these beneficial tools can be carried through to school, social activities, their future career, and will stay with them throughout their lives.
Drama and performing classes help improve communication skills, concentration, and memory. One of the main advantages of taking part in the performing arts in young individuals is the improvement of communication skills. Acting lessons, for example, will help with their presentation skills, vocal projection, tone of speech, and articulation.
Listening skills will also get refined by taking stage directions from teachers, by collaborating with peers, and working together toward a common goal. From learning new lines, to remembering their acting cues and timing, and rehearsing scenes time and again, your child will improve their focus, memory, concentration, and quick-learning skills.
Social-emotional development. Kids will also improve their social skills by working as part of a team, listening to others and expressing themselves, sharing and making new friends. They will learn to minimize errors and bounce back, solve problems and improvise, giving them the confidence to manage and perform in new situations that come with everyday life. The participation in these types of programs will also help enhance their interpersonal skills because they need to understand their play characters and the different roles, which allows young children to relate better to different situations, people, feelings, and support the ability to be in ‘someone else’s shoes.’ As a whole, the performing arts teaches kids about empathy, compassion, and how to express and understand their feelings and those of others.
Higher academic achievements. Studies have found that creative and critical thinking, problem-solving, and reasoning increase and improve when arts education is added to the mix. As the Arts Education Partnership Report “Arts Education Has Academic Effect” suggests, arts learning in music, drama, and dance is related to high academic achievements in school. As is well-known, learning to play instruments and read music improves mathematical achievement and proficiency. Performing arts programs have multiple connections to reading, verbal and math skills, problem-solving, and creative thinking.
It’s super fun! Arts programs are a really fun way for your kids to express themselves, their emotions, and explore and improve their unique talents. Whether kids enjoy acting, singing, dancing, or a behind-the-scenes role, they will delight in expressing and improving their special talents. They will also have a fun workout in the process, as many performing arts classes improve flexibility, balance, and coordination.
So go ahead and enroll your child or youth in arts performing classes. See for yourself all of the benefits that come with it while you enjoy watching your child’s self-confidence blossom and their communication, social, and emotional skills develop.
The Bert Church Live Theatre, a live music and performing arts facility in Airdrie, hosts performing arts classes and camps for young people throughout the year. For more information, visit airdrie.ca and search for ‘The Bert Church Live Theatre.’
| Winnie Foster |
McKenzie Nace |
| Jesse Tuck |
Cole German |
| Mae Tuck |
Madelyn Luebbers |
| Angus Tuck |
Ford Warner |
| Miles Tuck |
Justin Porath |
| Man in the Yellow Suit |
Robert Herzog |
| Constable Joe/Ensemble |
Ali Schropp |
| Hugo/Ensemble |
Peter Cardillo |
| Betsy Foster/Ensemble/Mae u/s |
Cristal Santiago Velez |
| Nana Foster/Ensemble |
Teagan Yokanovich |
| Ensemble/Featured Dancer/Winnie u/s |
Sofia Moss |
| Ensemble/Featured Dancer |
Sydney Thompson |
| Ensemble/Featured Dancer |
Kendall Dockett |
| Ensemble/Nana u/s |
Amaya Shannon |
| Ensemble/Featured Dancer/Betsy Foster u/s |
Mallory Owen |
| Ensemble/Featured Dancer |
Aislynne Hogue |
| Ensemble/Featured Dancer |
Teresa Kempton |
| Ensemble/Featured Dancer |
Sydney Switzer |
| Ensemble |
Madi Ward |
| Ensemble |
McKinsey Norris |
| Ensemble |
Olivia Hurd |
| Ensemble/Constable Joe u/s |
Asher Schropp |
| Ensemble/Featured Dancer |
Ashley Earp |
Tuck Everlasting the Musical: Audition Monologues
When auditioning for Tuck Everlasting, you will be asked to perform one or more of the following monologues. You do not have to memorize these! The director may ask you to read more than one so please be familiar with all of them.
Winnie Foster: Maybe it’s today, when something exciting happens…or something, just anything… Please not another day when nothing happens. Can I go outside and play before breakfast? Can we have breakfast outside this morning? Remember when Dad made waffles and we ate them outside and you said it was just like as picnic? Can we have an adventure? Please? Please?
Jesse Tuck: Look around you, the flowers, and the trees, and the frogs, they’re all part of the wheel. They’re always changing, always growing, like you Winnie. Your life is never the same, you were once a child, now you’re about to become a woman. Then one day you’ll go out, like the flame of a candle. You’ll make way for new life. That’s a certainty. That’s the natural way of things.
Miles Tuck: Ma, shut the music box, you never know who could hear it. Here Ma, happy ten Birthdays…It’s good to be home but I never felt like I truly belonged here. Perhaps people like me will never have a home. A house yes, but can anyone feel truly at home when so separated from the people around them? – so alienated from something so basic as time?
Mae Tuck: Angus what anniversary are we up to? What’s a marriage after a century passes? Winnie said she wanted to drink the water…that frightened me. Winnie’s going home, the boys are leaving…we’ve talked more in one day than we have talked in years…are you with me or are you just snoring near me? We have to go…I know it’s for the best.
Angus Tuck: Do you like fishing? I didn’t have to teach Jesse; I think he was born already knowing how…both my boys could swim before they could walk. I think you’ve got a fish on your line, pull it up…Well done Winnie, Trout for breakfast! Ok…Ok…I’ll put him back…there you can see him swimming away…you know Winnie, the time before we drank when we could hurt, when we could die, those are the only moments that matter.
The Man in the Yellow Suit: Well, now. Aren’t you wise beyond your – eleven years, is it? I’m a carnival man, young lady! It’s my business to know un-knowable things…We have something in common…I’d do anything to live forever, and I mean anything. Would you? Now, I don’t suppose you’ve noticed anyone strange around here recently… Been up and down the state, looking for a highly unusual family. Used to live here in Treegap, some time ago.
Hugo: Look at him go…he’s got legs like a cricket. We can’t let him get too far ahead. But then again, a fellow dressed in yellow isn’t going to be too hard to track. But not a nice yellow like chicks and daffodils or butter, or corn or ducks, or lemon wedges. I got a feeling this is all gonna come apart like wet bread.
Betsy Foster: No, I’d like to hear your essay before you go out and play. Go on dear… good girl! Afterwards we can have breakfast in the parlour. How would you like that? I know it’s not as fun as eating outside but the world is a dangerous place and we have to stay safe and keep busy. Good girl, now you can fill in a map with all the state capitals and when your done you can go outside but you must stay within the gate!
Nana: Elves…the Elves interrupted first …Did you hear them, Winnie? The Elves did you hear them? I first heard them when I was a little girl playing in the wood. You know Elves are green and shiny like leaves. Stories are everything…one small story and the earth opens up wide. (beat) Ohhh… thy are going the Elves are going…
Constable Joe: Slow down Hugo, I’m hotter than a griddle in a pancake supper. Now this being your first case, I suggest you keep your eyes open and your mouth closed. Betsy Foster, I came as soon as I got your message. Maybe Winnie ran away, maybe she went to the fair… I’m gonna take a good look around. Don’t worry Betsy, we’ll find her.
