Porchlight Youth Classes
FALL & SPRING YOUTH CLASSES
OFFERED EACH FALL & SPRING • AGES 4-17
Fall Classes 2024 Are Currently in Session
Spring 2025 Class Information is Below and Classes Go On Sale Nov 1!
Porchlight is proud to be Chicago’s home for music theatre and believes in the power of studying theater to build self-confidence, creative thinking and open us all up to be more empathetic and caring humans.
Our Foundation Classes – Mini Musicals for ages 4 – 6 and Broadway Basics for ages 7 – 10 – introduce musicals in an open and welcoming environment. Growing from exploring environments in Mini Musicals to creating characters through play and improvisation in Broadway Basics, campers will spend time singing, dancing and creating an original musical story to share at the end of the session.
Returning and new middle school aged actors join us to grow in Intermediate Ensemble for ages 11 – 13. Actors will focus on classic or contemporary musicals as they learn musical theater songs, choreography, and create a musical revue to share with family and friends.
Offered each Fall, pre-professional and high school aged actors (14 – 17 years) join us for an eight week High School Music Theatre Intensive series for any actors curious about or planning on auditioning for college music theater programs. Actors will leave more confident in their music theatre skills and more prepared for their Common Music Theatre Prescreen Audition. This workshop series covers material selection and coaching for song and monologues, practice learning dance audition combinations, and guided information on the audition process.
Classes are held at:
Holtschneider Performance Center at the DePaul University School of Music
2330 N. Halsted St.
Chicago, IL 60614
Accessible by CTA Red, Brown and Purple line trains at the Fullerton CTA Stop, as well as the Fullerton and Halsted buses.
Want to Try Before You Buy?
Join us for the first week of class in 2025 for $25.
If you love it and want to join the rest of class, we’ll apply the cost of the trial to the rest of the term!
MINI MUSICALS • AGES 4 – 6
Offered each Fall and Spring term
Spring 2025: February 15 – May 17 (no class 4/19)
Saturdays, 10:00 – 11:00 am
$300
Budding actors join us each week for songs, games, making new friends, and having a blast on stage! Our youngest students stretch their theatre muscles as they create an original musical story – with dance moves, props, and songs to share with family and friends on the last day of class!
BROADWAY BASICS • AGES 7 – 10
Offered each Fall and Spring term
Spring 2025: February 15 – May 17 (no class 4/19)
Saturdays, 11:30 am – 1:00 pm
$450
Enter the world of music, drama, dance, writing, and more while practicing teamwork, communication, and problem-solving. Students will be introduced to their actor tools — their bodies, voices, and imaginations — while singing and dancing to classic and contemporary Broadway hits, writing their own story, and with lots of time for playing games and making new friends. At the end of the session join us for a final performance to celebrate all your young actors’ work!
INTERMEDIATE ENSEMBLE • AGES 11 – 13
Offered each Fall and Spring term
Spring 2025: February 15 – May 17 (no class 4/19)
Saturday, 1:30pm – 3:30 pm
$600
Returning and new middle school aged actors join us to grow as they focus on classic or contemporary musicals, learn musical theater songs, choreography and create a musical revue to share with family and friends.
Register for Intermediate Ensemble
HIGH SCHOOL MUSIC THEATRE INTENSIVE
Not Offered Spring 2025
Sunday, 1:30 – 4:30 pm
$650
Pre-professional and high school aged actors (14 – 17 years) join us for an eight week High School Music Theatre Intensive. Class will focus on specific music theatre skills and help prepare any actors planning on auditioning for college music theater programs. Actors will leave more confident in their music theatre skills and more prepared for their Common Music Theatre Prescreen Audition. This workshop series covers material selection and coaching for song and monologues, practice learning dance audition combinations, and guided information on the audition process.
Scholarships for Youth Programming
Payment plans are available for all youth programming by emailing rebeccah@porchlightmusictheatre.org. Scholarships and financial aid available by filling out this application.
Scholarships are available, along with financial aid and payment plans. To apply for a scholarship, apply HERE. For more information on scholarships, please visit our FAQ section or email Porchlight’s Education Director Rebeccah Singer* at rebeccah@porchlightmusictheatre.org.
Scholarships Provided due to generous donations from:
Pronoun Key: + (he/him/his); * (she/her/hers); ^ (they, them, theirs); = (any with respect)
