Dunes Arts Summer Youth

Dunes Arts Summer Theatre is now registering young people for three sessions of youth theatre education programs.

All programs take place at the historic summer theatre campus at 288 Shady Oak Drive in Michiana Shores, where young people have discovered the joys of theatre arts for more than 70 years.

The first three-week session, “Creative Drama and Play Creation,” will be held June 12-28 for students ages 8-12. Classes will meet Mondays and Wednesdays from 1-3 p.m. CST.

Students will develop basic theatre skills, group collaboration and creative expression through theatre games and storytelling. No previous performance experience is required. Tuition is $200 and some scholarships are available.

The second three-week session, “Introduction to Musical Theatre,” will be held July 10-26 for students ages 8-12. Classes will meet Mondays and Wednesdays from 1-3 p.m. CST.

Students will develop musical performance skills, including vocalization, song interpretation and movement. No previous performance experience is required. Tuition is $200 and some scholarships are available.

The ”Youth Theatre Mentoring Program” will be offered for the first time this year for students 13 years older. The program is designed for students with previous theatre experience who want to refine their skills by working on monologues, songs, etc. for auditions and college admissions. Six sessions of individual or small group instruction will be scheduled with professional actors.

Tuition is $200 and some scholarships are available.

A “Student Showcase” for family and friends will be held at 11 a.m. CST Aug. 10.

Michael Fallon, a music arts educator, is coordinating the Dunes Arts Summer Youth Theatre programs. He has 30 years of experience as a teacher, conductor, director, and performer.

Fallon has bachelor’s and master’s degrees in music education.

Lili Galluzzo and Khyel Roberson will teach the “Creative Drama and Play Creation” session.

Glluzzo creates curricula for grades 3-5 students at the Chicago Actor’s Training Center and is pursuing a BFA in musical theatre from the Chicago College of Performing Arts. Roberson is a Chicago-based professional theatre performer with extensive experience in productions such as “Sweeney Todd,” “Rent,” “Dreamgirls” and many others. Dunes Arts Summer Theatre audiences will see both Galluzzo and Roberson in this season’s productions.

Danielle Kerr will teach the “Introduction to Musical Theatre” session. Kerr teaches play creation and creative drama at Mudlark Theatre in Evanston and writes drama curricula for www.onestopdramashop.com. She is a veteran of Dunes Arts Summer Theatre and will perform in multiple productions this season.

Registration for the summer theatre classes and scholarship applications are available at www.dunesarts.org. For more information contact Elise Kermani at contact@dunesarts. org.

The Dunes Arts Foundation, which operates Dunes Arts Summer Theatre and Education Programs, was incorporated in the State of Indiana in 1951 and is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization. Nestled within the woodsy dunes of Michiana Shores, Dunes Summer Theatre is located at about a half mile from the Indiana Dunes and the Lake Michigan shore at 288 Shady Oak Dr, Michigan City, Indiana.

As northwest Indiana’s longest-running summer theater program, Dunes Summer Theatre has provided professional theater productions for more than seven decades. This one-of-a-kind experience is a highlight of Harbor Country’s cultural fabric, promoting community spirit and embracing inclusivity, diversity and accessibility in all areas of operations.

For more information or to purchase individual tickets ($35) and season subscriptions ($150), visit www.dunesarts. org or call 219-879-7509. Follow along on social media @dunesartsfoundation. — STAFF