Musical Theater Options (Philadelphia, Lancaster, Chester: neighborhood, high school, university)

[ellar]

My family is moving to the Philadelphia region this summer. I am trying to find good places where my kids can pursue their current interests, and right now I'm unsure about the options in musical theater. My oldest daughter loves musical theater, and we are fortunate to live in an area now with a few top notch community/family theaters where talented kids and teens can audition for shows. My daughter often performs in a few shows a year.

One of our current local theaters has particularly set our standards high. They have shows with large casts, usually around 60 to 70 people, and their shows are fantastic. A number of the better teens have ended up on Broadway. This theater also offers classes for kids and teens.

I have searched online and am having trouble figuring out what may be good options in the Philly suburbs. My daughter will audition for her new school's show, but she will want more than that. I am interested in top notch theaters in Chester County or Delaware County and possibly Montgomery or even Lancaster County. If anyone has any suggestions, I would appreciate it.

[BSuds8]

HI Ellar:

Home I knew a few people that studied/worked here and they have some respectable theater careers nows. There are also shows with the corresponding company PCS, which are year round and also include children. It is free to participate in the PCS shows. The neighborhood and the surrounding areas are fantasic.

Germantown Academy: GA Day Camp & Summer Programs » Camps & Experiences » The Arts » Performing Arts - This is a summer camp, which I attended and it's amazing but the actual program at the school is steller. The facilities are nicer then most professional theatres but the tuition is on par with most colleges. The summer program was more affordable for my parents and I ended up with plently of professional connections that made networking for auditions easier.

[ellar]

Originally Posted by BSuds8

HI Ellar:

Home I knew a few people that studied/worked here and they have some respectable theater careers nows. There are also shows with the corresponding company PCS, which are year round and also include children. It is free to participate in the PCS shows. The neighborhood and the surrounding areas are fantasic.

Germantown Academy: GA Day Camp & Summer Programs » Camps & Experiences » The Arts » Performing Arts - This is a summer camp, which I attended and it's amazing but the actual program at the school is steller. The facilities are nicer then most professional theatres but the tuition is on par with most colleges. The summer program was more affordable for my parents and I ended up with plently of professional connections that made networking for auditions easier.

Thanks for the suggestions! We'll look into these options.

[newmarlig]

Not in the suburbs, but if you are interested in Center City.

https://www.walnutstreettheatre.org/education/camp.php

[Snooziesue]

I would suggest you try searching first for programs in Philadelphia which will then network you with other theaters in the suburbs. One of the most prominent is sponsored through the Philadelphia Department of Recreation. They offer Performing Arts Camps in the summer at the Annenberg Center. The Philadelphia Department of Recreation also sponsors several resident theater groups including The Vogue Players. These theater groups offer several productions throughout the year in all age ranges, children through adult. The Vogue Players especially has a long history for producing excellent productions and many of their alumni have very successfully transitioned their love of performing into careers in the Arts. City of Philadelphia: Camps. Another long standing theater group in the suburbs is in Bensalem, PA called The Playmasters. They also welcome all ages to participate in their productions. The Playmasters. In Upper Dublin Township, your daughter would also be welcome at Mid-Stage/Horizon Theater Camps sponsored by their recreation department. https://www.upperdublin.net/store/ca...aspx?cat_id=30. One of the most prominent in the suburbs would be The Bucks County Playhouse. This theater has been around since the 1930's, has hosted numerous professional productions and served as THE summer stock premiere for many Broadway bound productions. They offer student performing arts camps and internships. Bucks County Playhouse, Theater, Shows, Concerts, and Entertainment in New Hope, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. If you don't mind crossing the river, look into the PaperMill Playhouse. This has been the proving ground for many of today's Broadway performers. They host a year round theater school and a rigorous summer training for those that pass the audition process. Paper Mill Playhouse

I personally performed with many of these groups while growing up in the Philadelphia area. It was extremely easy for me to find a production that I could either audition and perform in or work as crew because there was an abundance of productions in the neighboring theater groups with which to join. By the time I graduated from high school back in the late 1980's, I was able to obtain a theater scholarship to a four year university solely with the training I received from these programs. Many of the participants go on to study the arts in college then come back to direct/produce the current productions. I have since left the Philadelphia area, but I did direct community theater productions while residing in several states before I decided to take time off to raise my own family. I absolutely intend to go back to working in these programs because I see them as having incredible value to today's students. Good luck with your relocation and best wishes to your daughter!

[BPP1999]

There's this place, in Montgomery County:

Community Music School