Flat Rock Playhouse Education Center Undergoes Name Change

The Education program at Flat Rock Playhouse has announced its new name, Playhouse Jr.! Education at Flat Rock Playhouse has had many names over the past 40+ years. They have been called Flat Rock Children's Theatre, Theatre for Young People (TYP), YouTheatre, and Studio 52.

The new name, Playhouse Jr., will encompass many things. Playhouse Jr. is classes and camps for K-12th Graders and Adults. Playhouse Jr. is MainStage shows performed by and for the Playhouse Jr. students and families. They are a touring company that visits local schools and is performed by the company's fall Apprentices. Finally, Playhouse Jr. is a brand new licensing program for original and engaging Playhouse Jr. Productions; be sure to check out Slowpoke! The True Story of a Tortoise and Hare making its world premiere on the Rock in November! The company looks forward to licensing these new works to schools, community organizations, and sister-theaters throughout the country.

Playhouse Jr. Classes are semester long classes and summer camps in musical theatre, musical theatre dance, and acting. They serve the children, young adults, and adults of Western North Carolina. They offer scholarships to those students in need through the Dave Hart Scholarship fund. They build confidence, help students reach their fullest potential, and give them state of the art theatre arts education. K-12th Grades and Adults.

Playhouse Jr. Shows perform on the MainStage and are fully supported by Flat Rock Playhouse and the company's professional technical elements. Their family programming gives local students and families a chance to be on stage and in the audience. The company will be the world premiere of all of the upcoming and brand new Playhouse Jr. Show material. They will also continue to produce great classics as they have in the past. Examples include: Willy Wonka, Charlotte's Web, and Aladdin. They offer young artists the opportunity to grow through a professional theatre experience.

The Playhouse Jr. Touring Company travels to public elementary and middle schools throughout Western North Carolina and surrounding areas. They offer a professional theatre experience that they bring to the schools. All of the theatre's shows are based on education and literature. They are growing and inspiring future theatre-goers, making education fun and exciting, bringing history to life, and making the arts accessible to all ages and backgrounds. This touring company embodies what theatre arts exposure should be. This tour also allows the company to continue their legacy of "growing our own". They will be giving early career professionals the ability to perform, create, write, direct, and design.

Playhouse Jr. Licensing offers affordable shows to schools, children's theaters, and community theaters looking for new, fresh, and age appropriate materials for their students and performers. They offer professional works that are premiered by FRP, so their products are tested and ready to be produced by other theatre companies and schools. They tailor their material to youth performers and Theatre for Young Audiences.

Online registration is now open for the 2023 Summer Camps! Visit www.flatrockplayhouse.org/education for more information.

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