Getting Students Back on Stage

YBW members perform in filmed productions of The Stories of Peter and the Wolf & Hansel and Gretel (above) and The Nutcracker (below). Mike Nyman Photography. Ensuring our conservatory students had a variety of unique performance opportunities remained a top priority during the COVID-19 pandemic. From radio plays and filmed ballets to plays adapted for Zoom, students were still able to feel the excitement and adrenaline that come with performing for an audience, albeit in a different way.

As Meghan Montaner, president of the conservatory and education division, explained, “It was important that we maintain as many student performances as possible. While the conservatory primarily focuses on process over product, we know that performances are an integral part of the student experience.”

Conservatory staff and faculty worked hard to determine new and exciting ways to showcase student work in a safe, socially distanced way. In the summer of 2020, we restructured our annual Musical Theatre Youth Summer Programs to successfully complete our Pre-Teen Program and two sessions of our Teen Program.

The Teen Program presented Monty Python’s SPAMALOT – A Socially Distanced Concert-ish version, created specifically in light of the pandemic. Students rehearsed on Zoom for three hours each morning and visited various locations around central Massachusetts to perform socially distanced scenes each afternoon. The final production was presented drive-in movie style in the parking lot behind the theatre for students and their immediate family members. Pre-Teen students presented Monty Python’s SPAMALOT Young@Part version in an entirely virtual format for families and friends.

In fall 2020, conservatory classes returned to the studios with both in-person and online offerings available. With the return of classes came the return of our resident performance companies: the Youth Ballet Company of Worcester (YBW) and the Youth Acting Company (YAC). Each company typically performs in at least three productions a year. While most of their traditional performance opportunities were off the table, new performance mediums provided a fun challenge for students and pushed them to grow as performers in new ways.

Our YBW members enjoyed a variety of performances including filmed, socially distanced productions of The Nutcracker and The Stories of Peter and the Wolf & Hansel and Gretel. Students

had to adapt to this Each spring, conservatory unique performance students typically style by getting used to participate in multiple end performing in front of very of year performances, all few people or in some of which were virtual last cases, just a camera. “It’s year. This year, students a lot different because presented a Student there’s not as much Choreography and [audience] feedback,” says Variations Showcase on Morgan Soule, Apprentice May 8 that featured original, YBW member, “and the student-created pieces and satisfaction of performing YAC members rehearse for Urinetown (above) and radio play classical ballet variations. for a big audience is a lot “Murder in the Studio” (below). THTC Staff photos. About 100 people attended, different than performing in and the event proved to front of a small audience or be a great trial run for the for film.” Many YBW members had conservatory’s full end-of-year the chance to perform for a larger performance, the Spring Reflection, audience in March during the Youth on May 23. America Grand Prix competition, which was held at the theatre and Looking ahead, YAC members will represented the first public event on present the musical Urinetown June the mainstage in over a year. The 25-27 at the BrickBox Theater. For competition drew dancers from as most students, this will be their first far away as Florida, and proved live musical performance in over a to be a safe, successful event that year. “The Youth Acting Company provided everyone involved with a has been a real life-saver this glimmer of hope for future live events year,” says YAC member Heather and performances. Bachand. “After everyone’s school shows were canceled last year, I’ve The Youth Acting Company felt incredibly grateful for all the presented three unique opportunities THTC has given me. performances beginning with Doing theatre is what keeps me Agatha Christie’s murder mystery sane, so doing three productions in radio play, “Murder in the Studio” on Halloween weekend. Students “After everyone’s one school year was magical. The most special project will definitely be studied the art of voice acting and school shows Urinetown. After a year of not doing even had the opportunity to record promotional clips for the show to were canceled musical theatre, I started to question my career path...starting this show air on Worcester talk radio station last year, I’ve felt has revived that fire in me. It is so WCRN 830AM. In February, the YAC presented a Zoom performance of incredibly grateful for comforting to know that at the end of each day I can come to rehearsal an abbreviated, 90-minute version of all the opportunities and make art with my best friends.” William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar adapted and directed by Olivia THTC has given me.” This summer, the conservatory’s Scanlon. Youth Summer Program will - Heather Bachand present the first musical back For YAC member Tyler Keogh, just YAC member on the theatre’s mainstage with being at the conservatory has performances of Rodgers and helped him navigate a challenging Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! prior to year. “This year has been very different from the return of touring shows to the theatre’s schedule past years, but I’m so glad I could come to the in the fall. “After a tumultuous year, it has been a conservatory every week and just be able to make breath of fresh air to see our stage alive once again art with people who love to do it as much as I do” and to watch our students shine,” says Montaner. says Keogh. “I appreciate that everyone at THTC “We are grateful for the students, families and works so hard to keep the arts alive when not many faculty who have stayed with us and embraced other studios or schools are. I think it’s always great every change along the way from online classes, to have different experiences as well, and I’m very hybrid classes, filmed, virtual and socially distanced thankful for this company and all the opportunities performances, and everything in between. The it’s given me to adapt and become a better actor in future of the performing arts is bright.” any circumstances.”