School of Theatre Arts

The Civic School of Theatre Arts offers the most comprehensive community theatre education program in the country. We offer a complete range of acting, dance, and technical theatre classes for everyone age-4 through adults. No matter what your skill level, there's a class that is just right for you, from novice classes that introduce theatre basics to advanced acting classes that offer college-level training. There are even summer camps and traveling theatre troupes that give young people a chance to develop their knowledge and skills in all aspects of theatre arts.

We are very proud to have enriched the talents, skills, and lives of over 1,600 students each year through the award-winning programs offered through the Civic School of Theatre Arts!

Class Schedule & Enrollment

We offer a variety of theatre education classes during Fall, Winter and Spring terms at the Civic School of Theatre Arts. We offer a complete range of acting, dance, and technical theatre classes for everyone age-4 through adults. See our current Course Guide for information on enrolling yourself or a child in a class at the Civic School of Theatre Arts. For more information about registering for classes and summer camps at the GRCT School of Theatre Arts, click here.

Summer Theatre Arts Day Camps - Registration Begins March 18

Our week-long day camps offer kids age 4 through teenagers a fun-filled learning experience to PRACTICE, PARTICIPATE and PERFORM in a real theatre, on a real stage. Every camper has a part to play and will learn theatre skills from experienced theatre professionals. The finale of every camp is a performance for family and friends on the Civic Stage, complete with lights and sound. Tuition includes a commemorative camp t-shirt.

Camp registration begins in March 18 for the 2013 Summer Camps. Several sessions are available for all age groups. Download information on camp sessions and dates using the "Course Information" link to the left of this page and learn more about enrolling a child in a camp at the Civic School of Theatre Arts.

Scholarships for our summer camps are available for those in need. See details below.

Summer Repertory Theatre Program

The Summer Repertory Theatre program is a wonderful opportunity for students age 14 - 19 with some previous theatre training. Each year, two show are produced and performed in repertory (alternating shows each evening) by the students. This college-level program is supervised by theatre professionals and emphasizes training in the entire spectrum of theatre-related skills, from acting, to set and costume design, back-stage production, publicity, and more. Students are selected for the program through an intense audition and interview process. Each production is fully developed, fully rehearsed and presented with all the bells and whistles onstage – you can expect the same high quality from these productions as you do all Civic Theatre shows.

More information for the Summer Repertory Theatre will be available in May. There is no tuition for this program. We consider this an excellent opportunity for young people who really want to improve their knowledge and skills in the theatre arts and offer it free of charge.

Civic Theatre Traveling Troupe

The Civic Theatre Traveling Troupe is an outreach program promoting theatre awareness in the Grand Rapids community. Since 1990, each Spring a group of teen actors has toured the city, bringing live theatre to schools, retirement homes, and local organizations – all free of charge. Each year the troupe performs to thousands of people in the Grand Rapids area. The troupe is comprised of student performers, ages 12 to 19, who are invited by the School of Theatre Arts to audition. The troupe varies in number, usually between twelve and sixteen performers in two ensembles. Each ensemble performs once a week on average, traveling to area elementary schools. The Traveling Troupe presents a new show every year.

Registration

All classes are filled on a first come, first served basis. You may register for classes during the appropriate registration period as described in the Course Guide. For more information about registering for classes and summer camps at the GRCT School of Theatre Arts, click here.

Scholarships

Need-based partial scholarships are available. Qualified applicants are served on a first come, first served basis. Application cannot guarantee a place in any class that has already filled to maximum enrollment. Please call the Education office to reserve a place in the desired class before submitting a scholarship application. A $20 deposit must be submitted with your scholarship application. Download a scholarship application using the link to the left for more information.

Location

Classes and Workshops are held onsite at the Grand Rapids Civic Theatre unless otherwise specified in writing. See our map for more information on location and parking.

Attendance Policies

Attendance in all class sessions is very important. All classes are taught in a closed-classroom environment. Exceptions may be arranged by contacting the Education Office at (616)222-6653.