What
is it?
The
Charactors Travelling Troupe – a joint program of CharActors Theatre Troupe and Education Arts Canada – is an elite group of children, ranging
in age from eight to sixteen, chosen to be a part of this exciting,
work/study program that performs throughout the City of Toronto and
beyond. Successful candidates will have an unparalleled opportunity
to be part of a real touring production, performing in front of thousands
of audience members at professional theatres throughout the region.
They will work with professional choreographers, directors, technical
staff and professional performers, learning first hand what it is
like to be part of professional theatre and to go on tour with a real
production.
For the past eight years, the Troupe has been proud to perform with
Juno Award-winning children's entertainers Judy & David and have
been privileged to be featured in their musical theatre productions
of GoldiRocks, Pigmania, Red's in the Hood
and Beanstock at theatre venues in and around the GTA and
at their annual Chanukah Live concert series. In the past the group
has also performed at the Sky Dome during the UJA festivities, sung
on CTV's "Canada AM", sung the National Anthem at a Blue
Jays Game, taken part in numerous community events, as well as with
Donny Osmond in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.
Also
new, in
response to parent demand, we will be offering supervised
homework club sessions on days when theatre performances
finish in advance of regular school hours. We will also be making
every effort to accommodate parents who have difficulty picking up
children from shows early in the day.
When?
The
program runs for a full year, beginning in September. We rehearse
on Saturday afternoons from 2pm to 5pm during the school year. Confirmed
performance commitments for 2011/2012 include:
- Chanukah
Live, scheduled for December 10-11 2011 at the City Playhouse
Theatre
- GoldiRocks, on tour in March and early April, 2012. (Note:
This includes approximately 5 school
days and possibly one March Break day.)
Who
is it For?
We
are looking for energetic, hard-working kids, from grades 4 to 12,
who love to sing and dance. Entry into this elite group is by audition
only.
What
Does it Cost? Why?
While
the true cost of this program is many times this amount, the actual
cost to parents is only $300 for children enrolled in another CharActors
course, or $625 for those who are not (plus tax). NONE of this fee
goes to Judy & David, All Together Now Entertainment, or Education Arts Canada.
It goes to CharActors and is used to offset the costs of their studio
and their costs for administering the program. Judy & David and
All Together Now Entertainment actually subsidize the program to keep
these costs down (see below).
Do the students get paid?
No.
This is a work/study program.
Similar programs at other institutions cost in excess of $1500. Judy
& David and All Together Now Entertainment Inc. subsidize the
majority of the program costs so that the cost to parents is extremely
low. In addition to the incredible real-life professional theatre
experience, the following are included in the program:
- Two full semesters
of instruction in musical theatre, dance, and voice
- Transportation
to and from theatres outside of the immediate Toronto area
- All costume
costs beyond the basic black dance pants and dance shoes
- Nutritious
snacks on all performance days (students do bring their own bag
lunch, however)
- End
of year celebration / cast dinner at Judy & David's house including
cast gifts and memorabilia
Alumni...
This unique program
has become an incubator for some of Canada's top young talent. Alumnii
include stars of prime time television series, major Toronto stage
productions, voice work for several international hit animation series,
and more.
More Information?
CharActors
Judy & David
Education Arts Canada
