1 day per week
TUESdays
1 day per week
saturdays
musical theatre company
(characters & ensemble)
Saturdays 12:00-3:00PM (Characters ONLY)
& Tuesdays 6PM-9PM (Characters + Ensemble)
Ages 13-18 for Ensemble, 14-18 for Characters
CHARACTERS: $1099 + HST (75-100 hours of rehearsal + access to private coaching)
ENSEMBLE: $799 + HST (50-60 hours of rehearsal)
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PERFORMANCES:
Pinocchio
March 19-31, 2025
Note: The Tuesday start time moves to 5PM for the last few rehearsals, beginning February 18.
This program is for the teen who loves to sing and dance, but also laugh and create and work within a supportive ensemble. The class will provide rigorous acting, voice, and dance practise. This class will be cast in and perform a Shakespeare by the Sea original “family show” from a previous season, an opportunity exclusive to The Studio @ SBTS. With a special emphasis on performing musical comedy, this is a one-of-a-kind program for the aspiring musical theatre performer.
The Musical Theatre Company program provides students with the wonderfully unique opportunity to be directed by Shakespeare by the Sea’s Associate Artistic Director, Drew Douris-O’Hara, who regularly directs full productions for our flagship professional summer season. Text Coachings are with Jade Douris-O’Hara (Bronze Winner - Best Theatre Actor, The Coast 2022). The Shakespeare Company program is an intensive, performance-based program that provides meaningful practise, culminating in a run of performances at the Park Place Theatre in Spring of 2025.
HOW TO JOIN:
There are two ways to participate in the Musical Theatre Company program, and we request that you carefully consider which is the best fit for you! Ultimately, we know that scheduling can play a huge role in these decisions, so here's a complete calendar for the Studio for the year:
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CHARACTERS means that you are signing up to play a speaking role in the show. You will be required to attend all Tuesday, and many Saturday rehearsals. Space in the CHARACTERS program is available on a first-come, first-served basis. If the number of people wishing to participate in this version of the production exceeds the number of roles available, registrants will be placed in the Ensemble program, and on the waiting list for a space in Characters.
ENSEMBLE means you are signing up to participate as a member of our musical’s chorus. You will appear in all the show’s full group “numbers”, and scenes requiring the full company, provided you attend the rehearsals where the music is taught, the choreography is set, or the scene is staged. Students are welcome to participate in the Ensemble program while on the waiting list for the Characters program, should they wish to do so. Ensemble students attend Tuesday night rehearsals throughout the rehearsal period, as well as the Saturday rehearsals on March 1st and 8th.
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Register Here:
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REHEARSAL PROTOCOLS:
CHARACTERS: Students in the Characters program are typically students for whom the Musical Theatre Company program is their main activity, comparable to competitive dance or high-level sports. This is “Triple-A” theatre! Theatre often depends on the attendance of the whole group to be able to rehearse large sequences. If your student has other priorities or will have to be absent frequently, it is recommended that you join the Ensemble program instead. The expectation for the Full Time program is that students will attend all rehearsals unless they’re ill. Students are required to be available for all dress rehearsals and performances. If a student is absent more than once, their role may be reduced or re-cast, at the discretion of the Studio Director.
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Students in the CHARACTERS program are expected to spend time outside of rehearsal reviewing, practising, and learning lines. The class shares a Google Drive folder where instructors will upload the script, calendars, and any rehearsal tools such as videos or audio recordings to assist with this.
ENSEMBLE: The expectation for the Ensemble program is that students will give as much advance notice as possible for absences. Students are required to be available for final dress rehearsals & performance. If a student misses the teaching of a song or scene, they will not appear in that sequence in the final production.
ADDITIONAL FEES:
There is a $40 + HST Costume Fee billed in the Winter which covers costume use.
There is a $40 + HST Photo Fee billed in the Winter which covers the photo call with the professional photographer. Photos will be made available for personal use electronically 4-8 weeks after the event.
The show will be filmed on an iPhone and the footage will be made available at no cost.
Tickets to the final performance are $15 + fees + HST each.
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SHAKESPEAre company
​Ages 13-18 for Part Time, 14-18 for Full Time
Full TIme: $1099 + HST (75-100 hours of rehearsal)
Part Time: $799 + HST (60 hours of rehearsal)
*13-year-olds are welcome to join Shakespeare Company OR Shakespeare Pre-Company. If they choose to move up to Shakespeare Company, they will be the youngest in the class and as such, will very likely play smaller roles and act as a rehearsal stand-by, filling in, for rehearsal purposes, when students with larger roles are absent due to illness. If they choose to do the Pre-Company program, they will have the opportunity to play a larger role in a much more abridged production.
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PERFORMANCES:
As You Like It
March 19-31, 2025
Program Information
In this intensive performance program, the next generation of classical actors will study Shakespeare technique, and acting from Halifax’s theatre professionals. This pre-professional training program is perfect for students who are serious about theatre and are ready to take the next step. The Shakespeare Company program provides students with the wonderfully unique opportunity to be directed by Shakespeare by the Sea’s Associate Artistic Director, Drew Douris-O’Hara, who regularly directs full productions for our flagship professional summer season. Text Coachings are with Jade Douris-O’Hara (Bronze Winner - Best Theatre Actor, The Coast 2022). The Shakespeare Company program is an intensive, performance-based program that provides meaningful practise, culminating in a run of performances at the Park Place Theatre in Spring of 2025.
The are two ways to participate in Shakespeare Company Programs: Part Time Company and Full Time Company, intended to offer two comprehensive options for students. It is highly recommended that you have a look at both programs to determine which will be the best fit for you! Studio Director Jade Douris-O’Hara is available to answer any questions you may have at jade@shakespearebythesea.ca or 902-422-0295.
HOW TO JOIN:
There are two ways to participate in the Shakespeare Company program, and we request that you carefully consider which is the best fit for you! Ultimately, we know that scheduling can play a huge role in these decisions, so here's a complete calendar for the Studio for the year:
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FULL TIME means that you are signing up to play a large speaking role in the show. You will be required to attend all Saturday and many Monday evening rehearsals. Space in the FULL TIME program is available on a first-come, first-served basis: there are only as many spots as there are roles available. If the number of people wishing to participate in this version of the production exceeds the number of roles available, registrants will be placed in the PART TIME program, on the waiting list for FULL TIME.
PART TIME means you are signing up to participate in one or more minor roles in the play. PART TIME participants will only be required for one rehearsal each week plus some additional rehearsals as the performance dates approach, including Monday February 24th, Monday March 3rd, and Monday March 17th. You will appear in ensemble scenes and scenes requiring the full company, provided you attend their rehearsal. Students are welcome to participate in the PART-TIME program while on the waiting list for the FULL-TIME program, should they wish to do so.
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REGISTER NOW:
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​MORE ABOUT THE FULL TIME AND PART TIME SHAKESPEARE COMPANY PROGRAM:
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FULL TIME REHEARSAL PROTOCOLS:
The full-time program will require students to attend rehearsal 1-2 days per week, with some additional rehearsal close to performances. There are 75 hours of Full Company rehearsals, where all participants are expected to attend in order to rehearse and observe. There are an additional 25 hours of “as called” rehearsals, where we will specifically plan what will be covered at a given rehearsal, and only those involved in the material will be required to attend…this is typically how we rehearse fights, music, soliloquies, or scenes with only 2-3 people in them.
Students in the Full Time program are expected to spend time outside of rehearsal reviewing, practising, and learning lines. The class shares a Google Drive folder where instructors will upload the script, calendars, and any rehearsal tools such as videos or audio recordings to assist with this.
FULL TIME ATTENDANCE EXPECTATIONS:
Students in the full time program are typically students for whom the Shakespeare Company program is their main activity, comparable to competitive dance or high-level sports. This is “Triple-A” theatre! Theatre often depends on the attendance of the whole group to be able to rehearse large sequences. If your student has other priorities or will have to be absent frequently, it is recommended that you join our Part-Time program instead. The expectation for the Full Time program is that students will attend all rehearsals unless they’re ill. Students are required to be available for all dress rehearsals and performances. If a student is absent more than once, their role may be reduced or re-cast, at the discretion of the Studio Director.
PART TIME REHEARSAL PROTOCOLS:
The Part-Time program will require students to attend rehearsal 3 hours per week on Saturdays, with some additional rehearsal close to performances. There are 60 hours of Full Company rehearsals. Students in the Part Time program are expected to spend some time outside of rehearsal reviewing and learning lines. The class shares a Google Drive folder where instructors will upload the script, calendars, and any rehearsal tools such as videos or audio recordings to assist with this.
PART TIME ATTENDANCE EXPECTATIONS:
The expectation for the Part Time Shakespeare Company program is that students will give as much advance notice as possible for absences. Students are required to be available for final dress rehearsal & performance. If a student misses a significant number of classes, their role may need to be reduced in order to allow the class to proceed with rehearsals in their absence.
ADDITIONAL FEES:
There is a $40 + HST Costume Fee billed in the Winter which covers costume use.
There is a $40 + HST Photo Fee billed in the Winter which covers the photo call with the professional photographer. Photos will be made available for personal use electronically 4-8 weeks after the event.
The show will be filmed on an iPhone and the footage will be made available at no cost.
Tickets to the final performance are $15 + fees + HST each.
