Franklin School for the Performing Arts Sets New Summer Theater Program

Franklin School for the Performing Arts debuts an all-new FSPA Summer Theater program with opportunity for hands-on immersion in a cabaret show, concert musical, behind-the-scenes theater design, straight play or musical theater production. With a focus on performing opportunities, enrollment is open for one to five weeks, with each week running Monday through Friday from 9:30-3:00 daily. Registration is underway for all programs and placement auditions will be held on Saturday, May 2 at 38 Main Street in downtown Franklin. Auditions are for placement purposes only, as all students are guaranteed a part in whichever week(s) they are registered. A makeup audition will be held on Monday, May 4 at 6:30 p.m. or by appointment throughout the month.

The Summer Theater's Cabaret week, from July 20-24, focuses on performance skills and presentation, including repertoire choices, song interpretation and audition technique. The experience concludes with a cabaret style revue at THE BLACK BOX that showcases the solo and small ensemble pieces that have been workshopped during the week. For grades 5-12, Cabaret participants also will have the opportunity to perform during the Franklin Summer Arts Festival.

Students in grades 3-12 enrolled in the Concert Musical week, from July 27-31, will rehearse and present the iconic Schoolhouse Rock! With timeless hits such as "Conjunction Junction," "I'm Just a Bill" and "Three Is a Magic Number," the Emmy Award-winning Saturday morning cartoon series taught an entire generation lessons about grammar, science, math, money and American history in a most animated and catchy way. An August 1 matinee performance of Schoolhouse Rock! will be presented at THE BLACK BOX as part of the Franklin Summer Arts Festival.

A two-week musical theater program, running August 3-7 and August 10-14 for grades 3-12, will present the Disney mega-hit, High School Musical. FSPA will stage the record-breaking, chart-topping pop culture phenomenon at THE BLACK BOX at the conclusion of the second week.

FSPA Summer Theater Week 5, running from August 17-21, will focus on the rehearsal and preparation of a play. The play, which will be chosen based on enrollment, will feature students in grades 5-12 and will be performed at THE BLACK BOX on August 20 and 21.

A behind-the-scenes exploration of theater design and production will include staging, lighting, costuming, sets, stage managing and sound. Offered to students in grades 7-12, Behind the Scenes runs August 10-14 and 17-21, with enrollment options for one or both weeks. Participants in the first week will be part of the tech crew for High School Musical, while those registered for the second week will tech the play.

Placement auditions on May 2 will begin at 2 p.m. for students entering grades 3-5 in September and continue at 2:30 for students entering grades 6-8, and at 3:00 for those entering grades 9-12. Please prepare 16 bars of a musical theater song. Students auditioning for the straight play may choose to prepare a monologue, but that is optional. Cold readings may also be part of the audition.

FSPA Summer Theater is only part of a full roster of programming at the school, which also features two 3- and 4-week ballet intensives, three-day workshops, weeklong camps, and an eight-week session of dance, voice, and instrumental private lessons and classes. The summer session runs from June 29 to August 21. For summer registration or information about programs or the May auditions, call FSPA at (508) 528-8668. For summer session brochure with full program descriptions and dates, call or visit online at www.FSPAonline.com.

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