Performance Lab:
The Roaring Twenties, Then and Now

July 20 – August 7 (3 weeks)
Training and rehearsal Monday–Friday, 9am–4pm* (except the day of final showcase)
Final showcase Friday, August 7 at 7pm

This summer’s advanced musical theatre studio will include the opportunity for intensive training under the guidance of inspiring artist-mentors. Participants will meet staff and guest artists, work with professionals, and perform onstage at People’s Light. 

Half of each day will be an advanced conservatory-style program, working with professional artists in classes to fine-tune acting, choreography, and song preparation skills. The other half will be devoted to creating and rehearsing an original cabaret: The Roaring Twenties: Then and Now.

This performance opportunity on our larger Leonard C. Haas Stage is designed to highlight every performer with both solo and ensemble work. The Roaring Twenties will explore techniques that allow students to seamlessly transition across time periods, genres, and styles — a survey of the groundbreaking artists of Tin Pan Alley who shaped Contemporary Broadway as we know it today. You'll emerge from this program with new confidence as an artist, and the tools to help pursue your next dream role.

Throughout the summer, teen artists will meet artistic role models connected to our mainstage summer production of Ain't Misbehavin', through both formal instruction and more casual brown-bag lunches and other intersections. From discussing college and professional expectations, to sharing perspectives on balancing a healthy creative life and illuminating the other roles and collaborators in the theatre ecosystem, Performance Lab participants access diverse viewpoints and are immersed in the daily rhythms of a robust professional theatre.

Auditioners should prepare either:

A) a brief contemporary monologue and a song, or

B) two song selections, not to exceed four minutes total in length. 

The Roaring Twenties: Then and Now is an original cabaret, spanning music of both the 1920s and today. Students may audition with jazz, pop or musical theatre songs from any part of the last century. Songs should demonstrate range as well as showcase the performer’s ability to embody a character and tell a story through song. 

Students are also welcome (but not required) to include a brief additional clip (2 minutes or less) of any special skills they possess (i.e. juggling, tap dancing, clowning, acrobatics, plate spinning, yo-yo-ing, ventriloquism, fluency in a second language, playing a musical instrument, solving a rubix cube, or telling a really excellent joke.) We encourage you to use this space to share something fun and unique about yourself - your passions, interests, or weird hidden talents, no matter how small.  

Please provide a link to your audition material via the Online Audition Portal linked below. We recommend using either YouTube or Vimeo links. You may set the controls to unlisted or private, but please provide all necessary passwords in your audition form in order to allow the team to access your materials.

Check out our Audition FAQs for more helpful info and tips. Then, submit your video audition by February 22 via the form linked below.