Village Theatre believes that experiential learning in theatre arts is a powerful tool for building essential life and career skills including critical thinking, concentration, collaboration, discipline, communication and creativity. We strive to ensure that all young people are able to participate in our programs. No one will be turned away for inability to pay.

Institute tuition for the 2020–2021 school year is is $2,300 in Issaquah and $1,700 in Everett. Tuition is required for the duration of the school year program, regardless of a student’s attendance. Payment plans are available.

Participation in KIDSTAGE school-year productions is encouraged but optional, and these programs have separate tuition. Institute students are often eligible for discounts on additional programs.

Financial Assistance and Payment Plans

• Annually develop a rigorous curriculum to support individual student needs and learning goals, taught by expert instructors invested in the learning outcomes for each student

• Facilitate student-driven goal achievement, enlisting students as active agents in their own development as artists and citizens

• Provide instruction in specific life and theatre skills targeted toward fulfilling students’ goals after high school. This includes preparation for careers in a variety of fields including professional theatre and/or college acceptance

Acting

Students will develop acting techniques through ensemble-based classes. Techniques include character development, ensemble building, improvisation, audition/callback technique, and monologue/scene-study. Classes may also incorporate voice and speech work, movement work, Alexander Technique, Commedia dell’arte, Viewpoints, Suzuki, and devised work.

Singing

Students will develop skills in singing technique through a group class format that emphasizes theory, harmony, sight-reading, repertoire, and musical theatre history. Students will also explore solo singing and artistry through song interpretation. Pathway and Institute singing classes should not take the place of private voice lessons which are highly encouraged.

Please note, we anticipate including a voice/speech and dialect unit in the fall of 2021 to replace in-person singing. 

Dance

Students will develop musical theatre dance technique and performance skills that will prepare students for auditions, callbacks, and general dance experience. Dance classes provide tools to increase flexibility and improve core strength. Students will also explore acting/storytelling through dance, specificity of movement, dancing with strength, and choreography retention. Teachers of various dance styles are brought in throughout the year. Additional KIDSTAGE dance classes are highly encouraged.

Placement

Students are placed into small cohort groups, based on their audition and callback. All students who audition for the Institute are also considered for the Pathway to Institute program, which is geared towards students newer to theatrical training or new to one or more foundational areas of study.

The number of spots available for new students varies from year to year.

Evaluation

Students receive an initial placement evaluation following May auditions. During this time, new students will receive feedback on their audition and returning students will receive a review of their progress in the program last year. All students set goals to be reevaluated throughout the year. Individual check-ins can be scheduled as needed.

4:00–4:30 pm Professional Artist Development
4:35–5:45 pm Unit 1 (Dance)
5:45–6:30 pm Dinner
6:30–7:40 pm Unit 2 (Voice)
7:50–9:00 pm Unit 3 (Acting)

Actual times may vary.

At the end of the first semester, students will share their work and progress from their coursework via a demonstration or open-class format. Later progress in the year can be seen during our year-end Showcase. Other opportunities for families to observe an open class or mock audition may be added throughout the year.

There are four KIDSTAGE performance opportunities during the school year. All are open to all KIDSTAGE students, including but not limited to students in Pathway and Institute.

• Sing It Forward is KIDSTAGE’s annual fundraiser. The majority of the cast is selected from Institute students past and present, but all KIDSTAGE students are eligible to participate. Some special guest alumni or instructors may also perform at this event.
  • Casting: September
  • Rehearsals: October/November
  • Performance: One performance in mid-October or mid-November

• TeenSelect is open to all students Grade 9–Age 20 (Issaquah only for 2021).
  • Auditions: September/October
  • Rehearsals: Late November/December
  • Performances: December

• Ensemble is open to all students Grade 4–9.
  • Auditions: December/January
  • Rehearsals: Late February–April
  • Performances: April

• KIDSTAGE Originals is open to all students Grade 9–Age 20 who have an interest in book writing, lyric writing, and/or composing. Students create their own musicals with professional mentorship. Additional students join the process to bring the characters to life in a staged reading.
  • Applications due: September 22
  • Interviews: October 6–7
  • Writing workshops: October–March
  • Actor Rehearsals: Late February/March
  • Staged readings: Late March

Institute students age 17 and older are encouraged to audition at Village Theatre General Auditions each spring for Mainstage and Beta production seasons.