(Chapel Hill, NC, February 1, 2019) PlayMakers Repertory Company is proud to announce the Summer Youth Conservatory (SYC) program for 2019. The Conservatory’s Theatre Intensive and Theatre Tech programs will train area high school students on- and off-stage, as they produce the award-winning musical, “Bright Star,” written by Steve Martin and Edie Brickell.
For seven weeks, high school student actors and technicians in the SYC program will have a unique opportunity to work side-by-side with professional directors, choreographers, and musicians, as well as scenic, costume, and lighting professionals. Students will design, build, and perform in “Bright Star,” on stage at PlayMakers from July 17–28, 2019.
The Summer Youth Conservatory has been honored by the North Carolina Theatre Conference (NCTC) with the Constance Welsh Youth Theatre Award for excellence in performance, service of mission and community outreach. NCTC recognized the Conservatory as having “become a model program for youth theatre in North Carolina,” and for making professional theatre training more accessible to the youth of the Triangle.
PlayMakers company member Tracey Bersley will return to direct and choreograph, having directed the 2018 SYC production of “Cabaret.” Joining her as Assistant Choreographer will be Tristan Andre Parks, who has appeared in productions such as “Leaving Eden” and “My Fair Lady” at PlayMakers.
For the young actors cast, five weeks of intensive training and rehearsal begin on June 17, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Tuition is $1,500/actor, with scholarships available based on financial need.
Theatre Tech apprenticeships will run from June 17-July 31, 2019, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Tuition is $750/student, with scholarships available based on financial need.
PlayMakers also offers a series of week-long junior actor training classes for middle school students, called Theatre Quest. This program gives students the opportunity to train with professional artists in a variety of subjects, including: Principles of Acting, Musical Theatre, and Stage Combat. Students can participate in one week of training or all six. Tuition is $325 per week, with scholarships available based on financial need.
THEATRE INTENSIVE AUDITIONS
Theatre Intensive and the production of “Bright Star” will be cast by audition only. Auditions for Theatre Intensive actors (rising 9th graders through recent high school graduates) will take place February 9–10, 2019 at PlayMakers, in the Joan H. Gillings Center for Dramatic Art, 120 Country Club Road, Chapel Hill. Students sign up for a 5-minute time slot on either day. Callbacks are scheduled for Feb 23, time to be announced.
To request an audition for Theatre Intensive, visit https://playmakersrep.org/syc or contact Jeri Lynn Schulke at 919.962.7529 or jschulke@email.unc.edu. Applicants will be contacted with an audition time for their audition after receipt of their completed registration form.
THEATRE TECH ENROLLMENT
Interviews for Theatre Tech apprenticeships (open to high school students) will take place this Spring (by appointment only) at PlayMakers, in the Joan H. Gillings Center for Dramatic Art, 120 Country Club Road, Chapel Hill.
To request an interview for Theatre Tech, visit https://playmakersrep.org/syc or contact Jeri Lynn Schulke at 919.962.7529 or jschulke@email.unc.edu. Applicants will be contacted to schedule an interview after receipt of their completed form. The deadline for applying is May 14, 2019.
THEATRE QUEST ENROLLMENT
Theatre Quest is open to middle school students.
To enroll, contact Jeri Lynn Schulke at 919.962.7529 or jschulke@email.unc.edu.
About PlayMakers
PlayMakers Repertory Company is North Carolina’s premier professional theatre company. For more than 40 years, we have produced relevant and courageous work that tells stories from and for a multiplicity of perspectives, and creates transformational impact in our immediate and extended communities. We are proud to be part of a 100 year tradition of playmaking at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. PlayMakers has been named one of the “best regional theatres in America”.
PlayMakers Contacts:
- For press information and interviews, contact Diana Pineda, Director of Sales and Marketing, dmpineda@email.unc.edu or 919.962.7114
- For questions about photos or poster art, including photos from previous SYC performances, contact Rosalie Preston, Associate Director of Marketing, rosalie@unc.edu or 919.962.6997
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