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March 21, 2024Collaborative School of the Arts Prepares for Innovative and Creative Seasons
The Collaborative School of the Arts has a very busy spring season. CSOA is getting closer to finalizing the nominations for the High School Musical Theatre Awards, and the Acting Academy program is finishing up just as summer programs are getting ready to begin.
The High School Musical Theatre Awards, presented by the Daily Gazette and supporting sponsor Peregrine Engineering, will be on the MainStage at Proctors in May. Every year, the HSMTA program recognizes outstanding musical theatre productions and students. This program welcomes dozens of schools and impacts over 3,500 students and families across upstate New York in a lively showcase of regional talent. The winners of Best Actress and Best Actor go on to represent the Capital Region in the National High School Musical Theatre Awards.
Acting Academy is offered to Schenectady City School District students in middle school and since October, these students have been working on the spring musical, “Annie Jr.” that they will perform in May. During this program, the students have had workshops in various facets of theatre like dance, improv, makeup and more. They also had the opportunity to see the National Tour of “Annie” when it was recently on the MainStage at Proctors, followed by a Q&A from the actors who played Annie and Miss. Hannigan.
Starting this summer, CSOA will have five total summer camps across the three venues of Proctors Collaborative: at Proctors in Schenectady, Capital Repertory Theatre in Albany and Universal Preservation Hall in Saratoga Springs. The three camps at Proctors this summer are Broadway Camp Jr., Broadway Camp and Reel Adventures, back after a brief hiatus.
Broadway Camp, Jr. offered in two separate sessions in July to students ages 12-14, focuses on workshops in acting, vocals and dance along with having fun and the opportunity to make new friends while exploring their creativity in a safe space. It ends with a showcase for the students to share what they’ve been working on at the end of the week.
For older students, CSOA has completed the audition process for Broadway Camp’s production of “Fiddler on the Roof” in July. Students in Broadway Camp either participate in the acting company, the production crew or as musicians. With the guidance of theatre professionals, students learn the true meaning of Broadway while working as an ensemble to produce a full-scale musical. Also returning to Proctors this year is Reel Adventures for students aged 10-14. This introductory filmmaking program empowers students to translate their creative visions onto film.
At UPH, Rock Camp is back to give students the chance to strengthen their skills, learn new techniques and create a band with other students from the Capital Region within two weeks during July. They will participate in workshops on songwriting to booking a gig and end with a performance showcase of what they’ve learned.
Lastly, theREP is collaborating with Black Theatre Troup of Upstate NY for Summer Stage Young Acting Company’s production of “She Kills Monsters.” Students will dive into character development, movement and breathe life into their roles in this performance in July.
For more information on the programs of Collaborative School of the Arts, visit collaborativeschoolofthearts.org.##
