First Act productions involve a lot of exciting events. We’ve provided a cheat sheet below to help you through everything that will happen during the process to help you out during your first show with us! For more information, including detailed description of parent committees, please check out our First Act Family Guide!
New families, check out our First Act Glossary!
Does my child need to be enrolled in a class to be in a show?
We highly encourage students in our shows to be enrolled in one of our many class offerings. We offer semester classes, private lessons, and more! If our class options do not work, you will be asked to pay the “Production Opt-Out Fee” along with your production fee. See more information about this under “What are the financial requirements to be in a First Act show?”
How do I prepare for an audition?
An audition can be a daunting thing to prepare for, but you got this! Choose a one minute cut of a song and either find sheet music or an accompaniment track to bring with you. Most musical theatre songs have an instrumental version on YouTube. Memorize the words and bring the character to life!
Come to your audition in something comfortable that you can move in, and be prepared to sing your song and learn a short dance audition.
For Plays: You will prepare one of the preselected monologues provided on the audition information page for the show.
For more audition specifics, visit our Audition Information page.
Note: Summer Auditions run a little bit differently, be sure to visit your camp’s specific page before those auditions.
What is a Parent Committee?
A Parent Committee is a small group of parents assigned to one specific part of the production process. Our parent committees are Backstage, Costumes, Costume Clean Up, Green Room, Hospitality, House, Makeup, Opportunity Baskets, Production Support, Props, Marketing/Public Relations, Refreshments, Sets, Souvenirs, and Tech. Learn more about specific committee definitions HERE.
Each committee is led by a Chairperson, or Co-Chairs. This is usually an experienced parent who has worked in this area before. The Chair’s responsibility is to lead their committee in completing the tasks for their team. The Chair doesn’t do all the work! The committees work under the guidance of the Director and Production Coordinator.
How do I choose my Parent Committee?
First Act Parent Committees are assigned based on needs. You will have the opportunity to fill out a Parent Committee Form and select your top three committees that you would like to serve on. However, depending on the production and needs, you may not get your first, or even second choice, but are encouraged to step out of your comfort zone and maybe learn something new and meet new parents!
Each committee’s work happens at a different time. Some committees, like the Marketing/PR Committee, do their work early in the session. Other committees, like sets and costumes, are mostly done before the show begins. Some committees do most of their work during the performances. There are even a few jobs that happen once the show is finished! Take this into account when considering your availability and committee preferences.
Why does First Act have Parent Committees?
First Act Theatre Arts is not just for students! Families are a large part of making our program successful, and family members have a great time getting to know one another and working toward a great show!
Not only are families integral in helping ensure students are present and prepared, but they are also a vital part of the production process. When a student is cast in a production, at least one adult family member must attend two Production Meetings and serve on a Production Committee. These production committees work alongside the Artistic Team, Production Coordinator, and First Act Office Staff to design and build the production’s costumes, sets, marketing materials, and more! Being part of a Production Committee is a great opportunity for fellowship and fun! Through production work, many of our First Act families make lifelong friendships.
What is the time commitment to be in a First Act show?
Accepting a role in a First Act production is a significant commitment for the student and the family. We work together as a community to create a Broadway style production in just 8-10 weeks.
Performers are expected to attend all rehearsals, unless otherwise indicated on the rehearsal schedule or your conflict sheet. Rehearsals are scheduled on Tuesday and Friday and an occasional Saturday. Show week rehearsals are Sunday-Wednesday evening and are mandatory unless a prior conflict has been approved by the Director of Artistic Productions. Attendance at all performances is mandatory.
Families of performers are expected to serve a minimum of 20 hours on one or more of our parent committees, attend our two production meetings, participate in Move-In and Strike, and promote and sell tickets to the show!
When will I know the rehearsal schedule?
When the cast list is announced, who is called to the first four rehearsals will be announced with it. Then, after the director has time to review cast conflicts, the full rehearsal schedule will be released to families. This is usually within the first week of rehearsals.
Does my child need to be at all rehearsals?
Your child should be available for all rehearsals that were not marked on their show conflict form. However, the rehearsal schedule often will have rehearsals that are not full cast. This varies from show to show.
When do First Act shows rehearse?
Rehearsals are scheduled on Tuesday and Friday and an occasional Saturday. Tuesday rehearsals are 5:30-8:30 PM and Friday rehearsals are 5:30-9:00 PM. Saturday rehearsal times vary, but are most often from 9 AM – 1 PM.
Rehearsals begin with warm ups, and a short time of worship and prayer to center us before we begin. Often the worship song relates to the theme and message of the show! The cast then spends time learning the music, choreography, and blocking for the show.
Show week rehearsals are Sunday-Wednesday evening from 5-9 PM and are mandatory unless a prior conflict has been approved by the Director of Artistic Productions. Attendance at all performances is mandatory.
Note: Our Black Box Productions have a different rehearsal schedule, please reference their individual audition information pages.
What is First Act’s absence policy?
An unexcused absence is defined as the following: any absence from a rehearsal not indicated on the conflict sheet at the time of auditions for any reason other than sickness or family emergency. Please note that absences communicated AFTER the cast list has been posted will be considered unexcused unless they are for sickness or family emergency.
When a student has 2 unexcused absences, the directing team reserves the right to remove that student from a scene or song in the show.
When a student has 3 unexcused absences, they will be dropped from the show. Any appeals must be made to the Director of Artistic Productions.
Any student with 5 or more absences (~25% of the rehearsal process) listed on their conflict sheet will not be considered for a principal role in the show.
Tech Week Absences (starting on Move-in Sunday and continuing until the close of the show) are only allowed with approval from the Director of Artistic Productions.
If a student misses a performance, they will be immediately removed from the show and will not perform in the remainder of the production.
Why do rehearsal conflicts matter?
Our production process is fairly short and intensive. When you miss 5 rehearsals, you’re missing about 25% of the rehearsal process. We understand that families have a lot going on, so we ask you to review your schedule before you commit to a production!
What are the financial requirements to be in a First Act show?
There are three different types of costs for First Act Productions: Required, Highly Suggested, and Optional.
Required Costs:
Highly Suggested Costs:
Optional:
**While we think the Production Fee is a great value, we understand that it can be a daunting amount, especially for families that have multiple children in the production. If you would like to discuss special arrangements/payment plan options, please contact the First Act office at (913) 681-3318.
Are there options available for financial support?
The Kevin Milbourn scholarship fund is dedicated to helping students fulfill their dreams of participating in First Act Theatre Arts classes and productions through financial assistance. Apply here.
While we think the Production Fee is a great value, we understand that it can be a daunting amount, especially for families that have multiple children in the production. If you would like to discuss special arrangements/payment plan options, please contact the First Act office at (913) 681-3318.
What is a show bin and why do you use them?
A show bin is a small tote that students will bring with them to the theater during the week of the show. This is used to hold all of their personal items they’ll need during the show including hair products and supplies, makeup, makeup wipes, personal costume items, and more. Because we cannot leave anything at the theater overnight, these bins allow students to have everything in one spot easily that they will need. Students often decorate their bins with stickers from shows they’ve been in or signatures from their friends!
Can I take pictures or videos of the show?
Because of copyright rules, photography and videography are NOT allowed at First Act shows. However, along with your production fee, you will receive a professional video recording of the show. You also have the option to purchase a gallery of professional pictures, including a cast photo and individual headshot of your student for $25.
Who do I contact when I have questions about the production?
Our production coordinators serve as the first point of contact for all parents of students in First Act shows. They are a liaison between parents and the directing team, and will communicate at least once a week with the entire production community via email. They will also hold the two parent production meetings, and answer any questions you have!
First Act Theatre Arts is not just for students! Families are a large part of making our program successful, and family members have a great time getting to know one another and working toward a great show!
Not only are families integral in helping ensure students are present and prepared, but they are also a vital part of the production process. When a student is cast in a production, at least one adult family member must attend two Production Meetings and serve on a Production Committee. These production committees work alongside the Artistic Team, Production Coordinator, and First Act Office Staff to design and build the production’s costumes, sets, marketing materials, and more! Being part of a Production Committee is a great opportunity for fellowship and fun! Through production work, many of our First Act families make lifelong friendships!
Getting into musical theatre as a child can be an exciting and rewarding journey! Here are some steps you can take to pursue this passion:
Youth theatre plays a crucial role in the development and growth of children and adolescents, offering numerous benefits beyond just performance skills. Here’s why youth theatre is important:
Overall, youth theatre is important because it nurtures creativity, confidence, communication skills, and empathy while providing young people with a supportive environment to learn, grow, and express themselves.
