Fall Workshops For Young Actors At WHBPAC

Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center’s Nancy & Frederick DeMatteis Arts Academy announces its lineup for fall performing arts classes for young people ages 5 through 18, starting in October.

Beginning with non-scary auditions on October 7, the Young Ensemble, designed for students ages 7 to 11, will hone skills, work as a team and learn from Kristen Poulakis, Michael Drozd, and Justin Harris, who have been directing the ensemble since 2017, and come with years of experience working with youth in theater. The program will culminate in Rodgers and Hart’s “Getting to Know… Once Upon a Mattress,” a junior version of the musical that tells the story of the Princess and the Pea. Performances on February 7 and 8 will be open to the public.

With auditions on Thursday, October 10, the Teen Theatre Company will be working with Julienne Penza-Boone (director of the Arts Academy), teaching artist Kristen Poulakis, and choreographer Bethany Dellapolla to mount a production of “The Addams Family” on January 24, 25 and 26.

For the youngest thespians, ages five and six, WHBPAC offers Little Ghouls and Goblins, where students will learn the beginning fundamentals of musical theater from Justin Harris, and will perform alongside the teen students in “The Addams Family.”

In addition, Young Ensemble and Teen Theatre Company members are invited to be part of WHBPAC’s Holiday Spectacular, a seasonal variety show in collaboration with Our Fabulous Variety Show. Students will commit to five rehearsals, plus two dress rehearsals before performing in three performances in December.

Workshops are $275 to $800 with an additional fee for the Holiday Spectacular.

Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center is at 76 Main Street. For more information and to register visit whbpac.org or call Julienne Penza-Boone at 631-288-2350 ext. 114 or email her at juliennep@whbpac.org.