Courtesy/Atomic City Children’s Theater
By Kirsten Laskey
For the last five years, Atomic City Children’s Theater (ACCT) has given local students an in-depth theater education and the organization shows no signs of slowing down during the 2012-2013 school year.
In fact, this year the program is expanding to include a field trip planned for January to the Junior Theater Festival in Atlanta, Ga., and a new program for third and fourth graders called Act II.
Director Daren Savage said ACCT has provided productions for fifth through eighth grade students but it was decided to extend to the younger group because there was “a lot of interest from the younger kids for a theater program.”
So Act II was created to “get the kids on the stage,” he said.
Mountain Elementary School music teacher Kelsey Cline directs the program.
Disney’s “The Jungle Book Kid” is the first production planned for the 2012-2013 school year and will be held in March.
Courtesy/Atomic City Children’s Theater
ACCT will tackle Disney’s “The Little Mermaid, Jr.” Auditions for the elementary school cast will be held in September and Los Alamos Middle School students can try out for the musical in December.
Savage explained that these two productions were selected because, “The Little Mermaid” is a very popular show and allows for a big cast.
“The Jungle Book” also has a large cast and lots of fun music, he said.
In addition to participating in the productions, students are invited to take part in the Junior Theater Festival, which is produced by iTheatrics.
According to its website, the festival brings students, teachers and Broadway professionals together and the groups perform a selection from a Broadway Junior or KIDS Collection musical.
Courtesy/Atomic City Children’s Theater
Even in the summer months, ACCT has kept busy. Savage said a summer theater workshop was held for students attending fourth through tenth grade summer school.
Almost 50 students participated in the program, which touched on dance, acting, vocals and stage craft.
Workshops also are provided throughout the school year in which students learn the art of directing a play.
Savage said that last year was the first year in which students graduated from the program before entering high school. Several students returned to help out.
Also, in the Los Alamos High School Olion’s production of “Rags,” more than half the cast was from ACCT.
Courtesy/Atomic City Children’s Theater
“The biggest change we notice in students is how confident they are as a result of being on the stage,” Savage said.
He added that the program offers a way to get students interested in different types of theater.
ACCT is funded by a grant from the Fine Arts Education Act. In addition to Savage, Julia Fair also is a director.
For more information on ACCT’s upcoming productions, visit AtomicCityChildrensTheater.com.
Courtesy/Atomic City Children’s Theater
Courtesy/Atomic City Children’s Theater
