See below for training program options
*Auditions for both musicals are for wait-list only*
Please note: movement on the waitlist is common, with substantial acting/ensemble roles for all.
Philosophy: We take teens seriously. That’s the secret to our wildly successful summer programs. We respect the potential of every student and, through intensive training programs culminating in public performances, we commit to developing their artistry —whether they are new to the craft or already on a path to a life in the theatre. And we believe skills can only be developed in a space where students feel a sense of belonging. When you spend a summer at The Theatre Lab, whether you are participating in our two-week Performance Intensive for Teens, one of our month-long Musical Theatre Institutes, our Summer Acting Institute for Teens, or any combination of the three, you are guaranteed to find instructors and students who welcome your unique talents and are eager to make meaningful connections, both onstage and off.
Musical Theatre Institute for Teens
*Auditions for both musicals are for wait-list only* Please note: movement on the waitlist is generally common, with substantial acting/ensemble roles for all experience levels.
A unique four-week training program for ages 13-19 culminating in a full production of a challenging musical. Offered in two sessions at The Theatre Lab:
(Please note: Students can audition to take part in both sessions!)
Session I: (June 17-July 13) Titanic
*Auditions for both musicals are for wait-list only* Please note: movement on the waitlist is generally common, with substantial acting/ensemble roles for all experience levels.
Titanic
Directed by Deb Gottesman and Lucia LaNave
Sarah Frances Williams, Choreographer
Story and Book by Peter Stone
Music and Lyrics by Maury Yeston
(June 17-July 13) M-F; See schedule below
Winner of five Tony Awards in 1997 including Best Musical, Titanic by Maury Yeston is a thrilling historical drama with strikingly human and relatable characters. From the lofty dreams of first-class passengers to the resilient spirits in steerage, each of the 30+ unique characters contributes to the musical’s rich tapestry. Titanic’s score is packed with soaring ballads, uptempo group numbers, and poignant duets exploring the nature of love, sacrifice, and the indomitable human spirit.
Titanic is a hidden gem in the musical theatre world—rarely performed on smaller stages, it’s one of the greatest ensemble musicals ever written, offering extraordinary singing, dancing and acting challenges for students at all levels of experience. As part of their training, students cast in ensemble roles will also have the opportunity to rehearse and perform a solo in a student cabaret, open to the public, during the final week of the program.
Schedule: Rehearsals Mondays-Fridays, June 17-July 13, 12pm-6pm; Evening rehearsals and performances July 9-13 + matinee July 13. (Note: first week meets 4pm-8pm to accommodate DC school schedules; *No class on June 19 or July 4)
Session II: (July 15 – August 10) Footloose
*Auditions for both musicals are for wait-list only* Please note: movement on the waitlist is generally common, with substantial acting/ensemble roles for all experience levels.
Footloose
Directed by Tracy Lynn Olivera and Lucia LaNave
Sarah Frances Williams, Choreographer
Stage Adaptation by Dean Pitchford and Walter Bobbie
Based on the Original Screenplay by Dean Pitchford
Music by Tom Snow
Lyrics by Dean Pitchford
Additional Music by Eric Carmen, Sammy Hagar, Kenny Loggins and Jim Steinman
July 15-August 10, M-F, See schedule below
Get ready to kick off your Sunday shoes! Footloose is a high-energy musical that celebrates the power of youth and the freedom of self-expression. Set in a small midwestern town that has banned dancing for fear of its dangerous influence on young people, Footloose is surprisingly resonant in a 2024 America in which book bans are rising rapidly. The show features an iconic soundtrack blending pop, rock and ballads, electrifying dance numbers, and a compelling narrative about love, friendship, and the courage to challenge the status quo. This is a musical with many great roles for actors of all types and genders. Due to the unique demands of the show, students participating in Footloose will receive extensive choreography training in addition to training in singing and acting. In addition, students cast in ensemble roles will also have the opportunity to rehearse and perform a solo in a student cabaret, open to the public, during the third week of the program.
Need-based scholarships available: Apply for financial aid
Schedule: Rehearsals Mondays-Fridays, July 15-August 10, 12PM – 5PM; Evening rehearsals and performances Aug 6-10 + Matinee Aug 10.
About The Musical Theatre Institute for Teens
The Musical Theatre Institute for Teens is an intensive four-week training program in which participants rehearse and perform a full musical production under the guidance of the area’s most esteemed directors. The idea behind the institute is to enable young artists to explore challenging, socially relevant material from the contemporary musical theatre world as they receive the intensive voice, movement and acting training essential for professional-level performance. Past productions, including performances of The Prom, Urinetown, Newsies, Jesus Christ Superstar, Parade, and Rent, have played to critical raves and sold-out houses.
The Musical Theatre Institute is designed to challenge young performers—both artistically and personally—while providing a supportive, caring environment in which to develop. Roles are open to experienced performers as well as those looking to build musical theatre skills. While the emphasis is on performance, students will also receive training in a wide variety of musical theatre disciplines during the rehearsal process, including: vocal production, acting a song, proper breathing technique, movement, building a character, ensemble acting, and more.
Classes and rehearsals will be held at The Theatre Lab in downtown DC. See schedules above. Note: On the second night of performance (Friday) there will be no classes; students will be expected to arrive at the theatre at 5pm for rehearsal and stay through performance time.
ADMISSION
Admission to the Musical Theatre Institute for Teens is by application and audition. Applicants will be accepted on the basis of their commitment to exploring the musical theatre craft, their willingness to collaborate in a group process of discovery with other young artists, and their ability to handle the demands of the musical score.
All applicants must complete a written essay expressing their interest in the program. Applicants must also prepare a musical theatre song for auditions that will be scheduled upon receipt of completed application.
Due to the limited nature of our enrollment, admission is competitive. You will be contacted shortly after the application deadline to schedule an audition. Applications submitted after the deadline will be considered only if space becomes available.
TUITION
Tuition for each session of the Musical Theatre Institute is $1390. Please note: If you audition and are accepted into both Titanic and Footloose, you will receive a 15% discount on tuition for enrolling in both programs (total tuition: $2,360).
Partial financial aid is available through our Work Study program. In addition, a limited number of full scholarships will be awarded annually through the Dena Kohn Memorial Scholarship Fund and the Jane Pesci-Townsend Fund for Musical Theatre Excellence. (Criteria: exceptional community involvement and financial need.)
Summer Acting Institute for Teens
(July 15 – August 9)
A challenging four-week acting conservatory for ages 13-19 culminating in a public performance of Mary Zimmerman’s The Secret in the Wings.
Deb Gottesman, Program Director
Madeleine Regina, Production Director
Schedule: Mondays-Fridays, July 15 – August 9, 12PM-6PM
(full day rehearsals on Aug 7- 9; evening performance on Aug 9)
The Theatre Lab’s Summer Acting Institute for Teens is designed to immerse young adults in the art of acting—from mastering the essential principles of the craft to participating in a public performance of a challenging contemporary work at the end of the four weeks
The curriculum includes audition seminars, improvisational workshops, voice and speech training, movement training, and scene study, as well as special programs designed to give interested students insight into the workings of the professional theatre community. In addition to the daily training, students will rehearse and perform The Secret in the Wings by playwright Mary Zimmerman (Metamorphoses).
The play: The Secret in the Wings is a play like no other. Using not-so-familiar—and often bizarre—fairy tales, Mary Zimmerman weaves together a play that explores themes of transformation, human nature, and the power of storytelling. With wit, humor, and elements of horror, Zimmerman asks us to examine what lurks in our collective unconscious, where the boundaries between reality and fantasy are blurred. This play features extraordinary roles for actors of all types and genders.
Please note: The Secret in the Wings contains some mature themes.
All institute classes are taught by professional actors and directors. The summer program is directed by actor Deb Gottesman, a founder and co-director of The Theatre Lab, and includes a staff of highly trained instructors and specialists including actor/director/producer Madeleine Regina (Feminist Fairytales), who will direct the final production.
ACTING CLASSES
Summer Acting Institute participants take all of the following courses:
The Drama Workshop: An improvisational workshop designed to explore core acting skills, including: creating a character, activating needs, developing spontaneity and focus, and communicating effectively with others on stage. Students will be challenged to discover new ways of thinking, expressing themselves, and creating.
Auditioning: An intensive seminar designed to prepare students to perform monologues in an audition setting, this course focuses on developing confidence, rechanneling nervous energy into creative energy, and using the body and voice effectively to tell a story. At the conclusion of the seminar, students use their monologues to audition for The Secret in the Wings. All students are guaranteed substantial and interesting roles.
Stage Movement: Designed to increase the actor’s range of movement and physical expressiveness, this course incorporates elements of mime, dance, and improvisation, as well as training in relaxation and posture development, in order to maximize the potential of the body on stage.
Voice and Speech: Designed to give students the skills they need for clear, effective speech on stage, this course focuses on developing proper breath control, improving diction and projection, dialect, and maximizing the flexibility and range of the voice.
Scene Study: An intensive exploration of scripted work, this course focuses on developing the actor’s process through the introduction of powerful rehearsal techniques. Course culminates in a public performance of The Secret in the Wings.
In addition to the above classes, students participate in a variety of special workshops—such as acting for film and TV, mask work, and stage combat—led by guest artists from the Washington theatre community.
ADMISSION
The Theatre Lab is dedicated to providing affordable, accessible training for students seriously interested in learning about the acting process. Applicants will be accepted on the basis of their commitment to exploring the theatre craft and their willingness to collaborate in a group process of discovery with other young artists.
All applicants must complete a written essay expressing their interest in the program. Applicants must also prepare a 90-second monologue for an audition that will be scheduled upon receipt of completed application.
Due to the limited nature of our enrollment, admission is competitive. You will be contacted shortly after the application deadline to schedule an audition. Applications submitted after the deadline will be considered only if space becomes available.
TUITION
Tuition for the Summer Acting Institute is $1290
Please note: If you audition and are accepted into both Titanic and The Secret in the Wings you will receive a 15% discount on tuition for enrolling in both programs (total tuition: $2,275).
Partial financial aid is available through our Work Study program. In addition, a limited number of scholarships will be awarded through the Rob Stein Scholarship Fund. (Criteria: artistic curiosity and financial need.)
Performance Intensive for Teens
(July 1 – July 12)
“I’ve learned a ton of techniques and have improved more than I thought I ever would in two weeks!”—Performance Institute participant
Two weeks of skill building for youth ages 13-19 culminating in a public showcase
Program Director: Buzz Mauro
A great way to start the summer, the Performance Intensive offers acting, auditioning and (optional) musical theatre training culminating in a public performance of scenes, songs and monologues to 13-19 year-olds who want to take their skills to the next level! Each day students receive training in improvisation and scene study as well as an extended auditioning workshop in which they can focus on either monologues or musical theatre songs. This program is directed by Theatre Lab Founder and Co-Executive Director Buzz Mauro with supplemental teaching by award-winning actor MaryBeth Wise.
Schedule: July 1-July 12 (No class July 4), M-F, 3PM-6PM
Final performance: July 12, 7:30PM
Tuition: $475
*Students enrolling in both the Performance Institute and The Musical Theatre Institute Session 2 will receive a 15% discount on both programs ($1,580 total tuition).
Application and Admission
Admission to our Teen Institutes is by application and audition. Applicants will be accepted on the basis of their commitment to exploring the acting or musical theatre craft, their willingness to collaborate in a group process of discovery with other young artists, and their ability to handle the demands of the script or musical score. All applicants must complete a written essay expressing their interest in the program.
Due to the limited nature of our enrollment, admission is competitive. You will be contacted shortly after the application deadline to schedule an audition (prepare a musical theatre song for Musical Theatre programs or a monologue for the Acting Institute and Performance Intensive). Applications submitted after the deadline will be considered only if space becomes available.
As always, we will offer need-based full and partial scholarships to ensure that our programs are accessible to students and families experiencing financial hardship.
COVID Safety Measures
The safety of our students, faculty, and staff remains of the utmost importance. We will continue to monitor the COVID-19 situation and follow all safety guidelines from the CDC and local government agencies.
COVID TESTING: Any student exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 during the camp day may be sent home and required to show proof of a negative COVID test prior to returning to the classroom. Specifics around testing protocols will be determined prior to the start of camp and will follow all local, state, and federal guidelines.