North Texas Performing Arts is excited to expand its adult-actor award-winning Repertory Theatre with the NTPA Community Theatre, a new program that is fun for the whole family!
NTPA Community Theatre will present family-friendly productions casting both adults and children that will allow the entire family to take the stage together in a fun and relaxed performance environment making the stage available to amateur and hobbyist performers across North Texas. NTPA is also introducing a complete curriculum of adult training classes in acting, improv, dance and other studies for aspiring actors.
NTPA Repertory Theatre was recently selected by “Broadway World” as “Best Theatre Company” in the DFW Metroplex, and now has 15 Column Award nominations and three awards to its credit.
“We’ve been honored to have professional actors and future stars from across the metroplex take our Repertory Theatre stage,” says NTPA CEO Darrell Rodenbaugh, “and our Community Theatre will provide a new opportunity for amateur actors to enhance their skills through our classes and performances. We are excited to see a whole new group of adults who simply want to take the stage for sheer enjoyment and hope to see many advance to our Repertory productions, as well.”
Our brand new NTPA Community Theatre productions will be modeled after our successful Scrooge – The Musical now planned for its 11th year in December. This annual Christmas tradition featured a 2020 cast of over 100 participants, half of which were related to another cast member, and included entire families in various roles. Its classes will be taught by the award-winning NTPA artistic team.
“Our intent is to create a platform for the development of adult acting skills across North Texas,” explains NTPA Repertory Artistic Director Danny Miranda who will also manage this program for NTPA. “We plan to produce titles like Scrooge and Sound of Music that enable actors to hone their skills and show their talents and also provide parents and their children an opportunity to take the stage together. Our youth actors will have more opportunities to expand their skills and perform with adults.”
First Production The Sound of Music Premieres in July
NTPA’s first Community Theatre production will be The Sound of Music directed by NTPA – Plano Managing Director Mike Mazur. Mazur received his theatre degree at Bowling Green, went on to complete his masters at the famed Tisch School of the Arts at NYU, and taught at the collegiate level at California State University before joining the NTPA staff.
“Scrooge is a highlight of our program every year, because it brings together families and friends,” says Mazur. “It’s a fun and non-intimidating way for anyone to try out acting. We often see adults sign up for Scrooge with their children as a way to celebrate the holidays with their family, and they discover they love being on stage! I’m honored to direct The Sound of Music this summer and can’t wait to rejoin Dickens in our Christmas tradition of Scrooge – The Musical this December.”
NTPA Community Theatre will produce two productions in 2021, and anticipates expanding to six productions in 2022.The new educational program will create a developmental counterpart to NTPA’s Repertory Theatre, and provide amateur actors with an on-ramp to join future professional-quality Repertory productions. Classes are set to launch this summer.
NTPA Community Theatre’s first adult training classes begin in April
Intro to Musical Theatre Dance (Tuesdays 6-7 pm)
This course involves the study of dance as it pertains to Musical Theatre performance. Along with technique fundamentals, students hone the skills necessary for effective character development, storytelling, and auditioning. The course will cover styles that make up Musical Theatre.
Intro to Acting (Mondays 6-7 pm)
Classroom exercises designed to explore and discover the actor’s inner resources, and to develop the personal awareness of the student’s imaginative potential.
Comedy Acting (Wednesdays 6-7 pm)
This course breaks down the craft of writing comedy in various mediums and provides an understanding of the basic history of American comedy from the eras of Vaudeville to digital. In addition to studying the history of comedy, students will also develop their own jokes, stand-up material, sketches and podcasts.