Join the Fun! - Grades 1-12 welcome 
Now in its 15th season, Merrimack Repertory Theatre's Young Artists at Play (YAAP), is a successful summer theatre program for students in grades 1-12, that includes theatre camps, performance seminars and musical theatre workshops. To see the full schedule of offerings for Summer 2012 with program descriptions, please download our brochure.
Please note due to renovations being done on MRT's Mainstage, some of our programs will be located at the Boys & Girls Club on Greater Lowell, with final performances at the Boott Cotton Mills Museum Event Center.
It’s theatre camp so let’s have fun! Children are never too young to discover the magic of theatre! We’ll play games together, act out stories, sing, dance and do theatre arts and crafts. We will create our very own short play, based on a story or a completely original idea, and perform it for family and friends on Friday!
We do it all in two weeks! The YAAP staff has designed a really fun program where participants will help create an original play, either based on a known story or their own idea, rehearse it and then perform on Friday, July 20th, for family and friends! Activities include singing, movement and dance, acting, rehearsal, play creation, and arts and crafts in order to make sets and costumes! Sign up and join the fun!
A special workshop bringing together different age groups to learn from each other and the YAAP staff! Improvisational theatre is challenging – there are no scripts! But it is also fun because there are no scripts. It is a theatre world of surprises and discoveries that pushes actors to be creative, think on their feet and work as a team. This week will be dedicated to learning the art of improvisational theatre. On Friday, July 20th, we will present our very own, original IMPROV SHOW!
The play’s the thing! During this 2-week performance program, participants will create an original play with the help of the YAAP staff. This play will be designed to emphasize ensemble work and the strengths of each participant. Creative movement, dance, singing, acting and improv, set and costume creation, and group work will all be part of the experience. On Friday, August 17th, we will perform our original play for family and friends.
This week-long seminar, led by our professional musical director and choreographer, will focus on the skills needed to perform musical theatre. Students will work on warm-ups, cool-downs, audition technique and group musical numbers singing and dancing. Students will rehearse the musical pieces along with short scenes created by the instructors and students. At the end of the week, participants will perform their musical theatre extravaganza!
Want to be a triple threat? Singer, Dancer, Actor! Bring your singing voices and dancing shoes and join us for a week of Musical Theatre. Students will work on solo and group numbers, led by our professional musical director and choreographer. Then you will get a chance to show off your skills for family and friends on Friday, during our Musical Theatre Spectacular!
YOCO is an intensive experience of every aspect of the process of performance. Each day includes training in techniques of acting and improvisation, movement and voice. Exercises build individual mastery of each performer’s instrument, while creating a strong ensemble. All actors are encouraged to not only explore their existing strengths, but to stretch into unfamiliar territory. The first two Fridays the actors will perform for family and friends in their own cabaret, an informal presentation where everyone can show off their talents or try out new skills developed during the week. The ensemble creates a safe space to grow and experiment, and together the group will create its own performance piece, under the guidance of the professional YAAP staff. Not only do our actors create amazing pieces of theatre, they build lasting relationships and have an unforgettably fun time together! The whole experience culminates on Friday, August 10th, with the YOCO’s original never-seen-before play performed for the public!
Merrimack Repertory Theatre offers the YAAP Scholarship Fund for children from low- to moderate-income families in the Greater Boston, Southern New Hampshire and Merrimack Valley area. The YAAP Scholarship Fund encourages families who would otherwise be unable to afford to attend to send their children to these workshops. Scholarship award criteria include:
- Financial Need
- Demonstrable Intent to Participate
- Artistic Potential
978-654-7550.
