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More Than Rehearsal. Real Theater Training.
Rehearsal is where performers put their skills into action. Academy is where they get dedicated time to build and strengthen them. Our Theater Academy gives students the opportunity to step outside the demands of a specific production and focus on becoming stronger, more confident, and more versatile performers.
Through hands-on classes in acting, improvisation, musical theater, choreography, audition technique, character development, and behind-the-scenes production, students learn new techniques, experiment with different approaches, perform, receive feedback, and develop skills they can carry into every future role and audition.
Whether your child is brand new to theater or already loves the stage, Academy classes provide intentional, skill-focused training that challenges students and helps them grow—not just as performers, but as confident communicators, creative thinkers, and collaborative teammates.
And the best part? Easy scheduling! Academy classes are offered on the same evenings as rehearsals for our current musicals, so students can take a class and then head straight into rehearsal if they’re called. More training, more growth, and more theater—all in one convenient night.
Grades K - 2
Fall Session:
Theater Explorers
Grab your imagination and your sense of adventure—we’re heading into the world of acting!
Theater Explorers is a 10-week introductory theater experience designed for young performers developing their language, social, and imaginative skills. Through purposeful acting games, storytelling challenges, character exploration, and age-appropriate performance activities, students will build the foundational skills they need to feel confident and expressive onstage.
Each class combines whole-group, small-group, and individual opportunities, giving every student a chance to participate, experiment, and grow. Students will discover that acting is about much more than memorizing lines—it’s about using your voice, body, facial expressions, imagination, and emotions to bring characters and stories to life.
What Students Will Learn:
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Character Creation: Use voice, facial expressions, movement, and body language to bring characters to life.
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Teamwork & Ensemble Skills: Listen, cooperate, share the stage, and create scenes together.
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Imaginative Storytelling: Use movement and creativity to transform an ordinary space into a new world.
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Stage Confidence: Practice speaking up, making creative choices, and becoming comfortable performing for others.
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Expression & Communication: Learn to communicate ideas and emotions through voice and movement.
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Performance Skills: Build focus, presence, listening skills, and confidence onstage.
Course Details:
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10 weeks | 1 class per week
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40 minutes per class
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Final Class: Parents are invited to watch scenes, monologues, and ensemble pieces students have developed throughout the session.
Sep 16 - Nov 18 | Wednesdays | 4:30 – 5:10pm
Instructor: Emma Forbes
$150*
*Students enrolled in our Annie KIDS production will receive $20 off their tuition for this class.
Grades 3 - 5
Fall Session:
Creative Drama & Storytelling
Unleash your child’s imagination in this vibrant foundational level introduction to the art of acting. Designed specifically for students in grades 2 through 5, this 10-week class meets once a week to explore the fundamentals of acting through play, collaboration, and creative expression. The atmosphere is highly social and energetic, focusing on building confidence, developing communication skills, and exploring self-expression. Students will use their body, voice and imagination to bring stories to life in a collaborative, non-competitive space.
What Students Will Learn:
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Improvisation & Play: Quick-thinking games that stretch the imagination and build spontaneous creativity.
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Character Creation: Expressing emotions and building unique characters using voice, facial expressions, and body movement.
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Scene Work & Storytelling: Collaborating with peers to bring short scripts and original stories to life.
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Stage Presence: Learning how to project the voice, face an audience, and move confidently on stage.
Course Details:
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10 weeks | 1 class per week
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40 minutes per class
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Final Class: Parents are invited to watch scenes, monologues, and ensemble pieces students have developed throughout the session.
Sep 16 - Nov 18 | Wednesdays | 4:30 – 5:10pm
Instructor: Jennifer Corp
$150*
*Students enrolled in our Annie KIDS or The Addams Family Young@Part production will receive $20 off their tuition for this class.
Grades 6 - 10
Fall Session:
Acting, Improvisation & Broadway Foundations
Take center stage and sharpen your performance skills in this dynamic, collaborative workshop designed for middle and high school students.
This 10-week course meets once a week to build genuine musical theater skills through acting, singing, and dancing. Acting work transitions students from creative play to deliberate character creation and unscripted scene work. It emphasizes collaboration, active listening, and the mechanics of physical and vocal choices. Our focus will be on finding individual performance style and mastering basic song-and-dance coordination in a supportive, low-stress studio environment.
What Advanced Techniques Students Will Learn:
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Advanced Improv: Developing quick reflexes, comedic timing, and the ability to think fast on your feet.
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Character Development: Analyzing subtext, objective, and motivation to create authentic, layered characters.
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Script & Scene Work: Digging into contemporary scenes and monologues to build realistic onstage relationships.
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Basic Song and Dance Technique: Emphasizing song and dance skills that are common to most musical theater.
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Performance Technique: Mastering stage presence, vocal projection, and physical awareness under the lights.
Course Structure:
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Duration: 10 weeks (1 class per week)
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Class Length: 40 minutes per session
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Parents are invited to join us for the final class and watch scenes, monologues, and ensemble pieces students have worked on throughout the 10-week session.
Sep 16 - Nov 18 | Wednesdays | 6:10 – 6:50pm
Instructor: Jennifer Corp
$150*
*Students enrolled in our Annie KIDS or The Addams Family Young@Part production will receive $20 off their tuition for this class.
Meet our Musical Theater Academy Instructors, Emma and Jennifer!
Jennifer Corp
Jennifer Corp holds a State of Illinois Teaching License, a Bachelor’s Degree from Illinois State University, and a Master’s Degree in Music Education from VanderCook College of Music. Throughout her 20+ year career, she has conducted and taught all levels of Choral/Vocal Music, from Kindergarten through Professional [Learn More]
Emma is a passionate performer and educator who has been involved in the arts for most of her life, performing in more than 30 musicals. She recently earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre, along with a minor in Dance Performance, from the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. [Learn More]
Emma Forbes
FAQs
Our Musical Theater Academy has two 10-week sessions: one from September – December and another from February - April. Tuition for each semester is $150. Classes are held at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Frankfort.
Your musical success—from start to finish—matters to us. You can start by contacting us for a free phone consultation. We’ll answer your questions, get to know you better, and help you find the instruction style that fits you best. If you already know what you’re looking for, go ahead and enroll directly from the schedule above. Your credit card will not be charged until you receive notification that your enrollment is confirmed.Enroll at any time! You don’t have to wait to begin lessons or to jump into a class. You can start when you’re ready and pause lessons if you need to. Visit our Customer Care page for more details about enrollment and payment information.