The Broadway Class, a music and acting school in Forest Hills, has announced two new theater and audition preparation programs for children. The Improv Troupe is for children ages 10 and older and kicked off April 10. Students learn the basics of improvisation through games and exercises that work to help young actors build creativity and trust their instincts.
One popular game used in the program is called Sit, Stand, Lie. Here, students are given a specific story topic in which everyone must be either sitting, standing or lying down throughout the whole scene. Lessons learned are about acting and a whole lot more.
“The most amazing thing about it is kids think they are playing acting games, but what they’re really doing is learning how to live in the world,” says Leah Zepel, owner of The Broadway Class. “They’re learning how to say yes to things instead of no, they’re learning how to deal with problems that arise, how to think quickly on their feet. They’re learning how to work as a team, whether with one other person or 10 other people.”
Improve Troupe is held on Tuesdays, 4:30 to 5:30 pm.
The school is also starting this year’s season of audition prep classes for children looking to be accepting into performing arts high schools around the city and conservatory colleges. Zepel, along with her husband Rob Preuss, a musician and theater professional, works on singing, vocal training and monologue coaching to get students ready for their auditions this fall. Lessons are usually private. Whether a student is their for vocal or acting coaching, they all learn about the audition process, which itself has its own technique.
“I coach the entire audition process. I have the advantage of auditioning for shows, I’ve been doing it for 30 years,” says Zepel. “Now, I’m director. I’m the person in the room when the auditioner comes in. There’s an absolute technique to auditioning starting from when you walk in the door, starting from how you turn the doorknob when you walk in and close the door behind you, the audition has already begun.”
Students generally come in for audition prep once or twice a week according to their own schedules. Often, they’ll come in more frequently as the audition day gets closer.
The Broadway Class opened in January 2016. Group classes are for ages 5 to 13. Private classes are for ages 9 and older.
Program and other information is available on the website.
Image: Whether a student is there for vocal or acting coaching, they all learn about the audition process.
Courtesy The Broadway Class
