At Parkway Playhouse, we believe building a well-rounded foundation in theatre arts is crucial to creating successful productions and, more importantly, setting our students up for lifelong success!
Conservatory classes run September-April and culminate with the inspiring Parkway Junior Showcase, a recital-style event that allows each student to share the knowledge and skills they’ve gained throughout the year. Classes are taught by teachers who have college degrees in their designated field, experience in the arts, and a passion to share it with our students!
Students enrolled in a Parkway Junior Conservatory class can opt to audition for Fall and Spring Junior productions. There is no cost to participate in Junior productions however, they are audition-only and limited to a select number of students showing dedication and growth in their conservatory classes.
NOTE: Conservatory Classes are held at the Mountain Heritage Center in Burnsville at 113 Green Mountain Drive across from Parkway Playhouse or at the Arts Resource Center in Spruce Pine at 269 Oak Avenue, above the TRAC gallery. Be sure to read all the policies and procedures before registering and remember to fill out the health form completely and bring it with you on the first day of class.
CLASS DESCRIPTIONS
PLAYMAKERS
(grades 3rd – 6th)
Burnsville: Monday 4:00-5:00pm
Instructor: Erika Tyner
Building on the foundation of voice, movement, character development, and storytelling, students will begin learning specific styles in acting. They will prepare and perform comedic and dramatic scenes, developing character monologues, and scoring scripts. (Maximum class size: 20)
STAGEMASTERS
(grades 7th – 12th)
Burnsville: Wednesday 4:00-5:00pm
Instructor: Jenny Martin
This advanced theatre class will explore methods and styles of acting, allowing students to hone their craft. Method acting vs. Meisner will be a piece of cake for students after taking this course. Students will engage in both contemporary and classical texts through prepping and performing scenes and monologues. Preparing audition pieces for college auditions or Mainstage productions will be a focus in this class as well. (Maximum class size: 20)
IMPROV FOR TEENS
(grades 8th – 12th)
Burnsville: Tuesday 4:00-5:00pm
Instructor: Kristen Livengood
The perfect opportunity to take improvisational theatre ALL YEAR LONG! This course will train students to be “in the moment” and spontaneous in the responses as it relates to improvisation. A key to good acting is really listening and reacting truthfully. There’s no better place to hone that skill than our weekly improv classes. This course is a prerequisite to be selected for Parkway’s invitation only improv troupe, “Get the Hook.” (Maximum class size: 15)
BROADWAY BOUND
(grades 3rd – 12th)
Burnsville: Thursday, 4pm – 5pm
Instructors: Hunter Taylor & Collin Eten
For all the Broadway hopefuls, this class focuses solely on the art of musical theatre. Classes alternate each week between learning music and vocal coaching to learning dance basics and choreography. Students will be doing jazz squares in their sleep with this valuable and engaging course. (Maximum class size: 20)
Parkway Playhouse Junior Company
(grades 4th – 12th)
Burnsville: Wednesday, 5pm-6:30pm
(Students will be asked to perform outside regular class time)
Instructors: Kristen Livengood, Collin Eten, and Hunter Taylor
*Prerequisite: Audition
This course is designed for students who wish to take a more professional approach towards performing. In this elite course, students will have access to individualized audition coaching as well more performance opportunities in the area!
(Maximum class size: 14)
*Auditions – August 11th 2:30-4:30pm at the Mountain Heritage Center. Students should plan to stay for the full audition time.
STARS OF STAGECRAFT
(grades 8th-12th)
Burnsville: Four Hour Slots – Fourth Saturday of each month from 12-4pm
Instructors: Abby Auman, Samantha Lebrocq and Devyn Villarreal
In this hands-on class, students will fully produce the Fall and Spring Junior productions. Students will learn the skills needed to construct sets, build props, hang and focus lighting instruments, costume actors, and a variety of other techniques. These students will also serve as run crew and the light board and sound board operators for the Junior productions. (Maximum class size: 20)
Directed by Kristen Livengood
Choreography by Collin Eten
Music Direction by Roberta Whiteside
Elf JR (ages 8-18)
December 6 & 7 at 6:30pm and December 8 at 3pm
*15 minutes of this production will travel to the 2020 Junior Theater Festival in Atlanta, GA
Auditions: Sunday September 8 2:30-4:30pm
Rehearsals Begin: September 9th
Rehearsal Times: Sundays 2:30-4:30pm, Mondays & Thursdays 5:00-6:30pm
Buddy, a young orphan, mistakenly crawls into Santa’s bag of gifts and is transported to the North Pole. The would-be elf is raised, unaware that he is actually a human, until his enormous size and poor toy-making abilities cause him to face the truth. With Santa’s permission, Buddy embarks on a journey to New York City to find his birth father and discover his true identity. Faced with the harsh reality that his father is on the naughty list and that his half-brother doesn’t even believe in Santa, Buddy is determined to win over his new family and help New York remember the true meaning of Christmas.
POLICIES:
Parkway Playhouse Junior Conservatory want to make certain everyone knows how they are structured. Please go to policies and procedures to read complete guidelines.
TUITION AND DISCOUNTS:
1 hour/week: $320/year
2 hours/week: $520/year
3 hours/week: $680/year
Unlimited Classes: $800/year
Pay for tuition online starting August 1st.
NOTE: Sibling discounts of 25% off each additional student. Apprentices receive a 50% discount.
SCHOLARSHIPS
Need based scholarships available. Please fill out the Scholarship Application Form and return to the Education Coordinator, Hunter Taylor.
REGISTRATION
The Registration Form for the 2019 – 2020 Conservatory is available through this link!
ONLINE PAYMENTS
Pay tuition online here!
CANCELLATION AND WITHDRAWAL POLICY
If there is insufficient enrollment, a class may be canceled at the sole discretion of Parkway Playhouse. Tuition received for classes canceled by PPH will be refunded in full. Registration fees are non-refundable.
No refunds will be given past the registration deadline for each class.
QUESTIONS:
Please contact our Education Coordinator, Hunter Taylor, or call 828.682.4285.
