During the summer, the Civic School of Theatre Arts offers the Summer Repertory Theatre Intensive (SRTI), which allows young students to experience a whole new side of putting on a show. The program is designed to help students hone their skills in either performance or production in order to deepen their love and understanding for the theatre arts.
A student learning how to design costumes for the SRTI productions.
Alexa Finkler, a student of the theatre, had one of her first Civic experiences during last year’s Summer Repertory Theatre Intensive. Prior to SRTI, Alexa had never even picked up a power drill in her life. But by the end of the summer, she achieved a major feat by building the entire set for last year’s productions of Into the Woods and Sideways Stories from Wayside School. Through the program, she was able to learn a lot about the production side of putting on a show, specifically the technical aspects of theatre. Because of her experience, Alexa realized that there was a place in her heart for stage management.
The Witch with The Baker and his wife in SRTI’s production of Into The Woods.
To foster her love for the stage, Alexa has expanded her Civic experience by taking various classes and joining other productions. Since last year’s SRTI, she has taken a stage makeup class and an acting core class. Not only that, but she has also been able to work on her passion for stage management by managing the first Performance Block play, The Adventures of Rocky and Skye.
The cast of Sideways Stories dancing on stage.
This summer, Alexa will be participating in SRTI again. However, instead of being behind the stage, this time she’ll be on it. Playing the part of Ygromul in The Neverending Story, she is looking forward to being onstage and performing again. Even though she has to spend her summer taking classes, Alexa doesn’t mind, because she loves learning new skills in a healthy and encouraging environment.
“When I am at Civic, I am around other people who want to be there. I like the professionalism that Civic has and I always learn something new when I am here. I keep coming back to take classes and to volunteer because I enjoy being with a group of people who love theatre as much as I do.”