Join us this March Break for five days of singing, acting and movement.
Ages: 6 – 13
Location: Drayton Festival Theatre (33 Wellington St S. Drayton)
Date: Monday, March 10 to Friday, March 14
Hours: 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Cost: $395 plus HST
10% discount for each additional immediate family member from the same household.
Indigenous youth under 18 will receive free tuition for Youth Academy training programs. Read More
We strive to ensure that everyone, regardless of financial circumstance, is able to participate in Academy classes. Inquire about our flexible payment plans and financial assistance programs.
Learn FOUR major production numbers from classic Disney musicals. Performers will receive practical insight into how big musical numbers are rehearsed and performed while they work with professional artists to produce a showcase of classic Disney showstoppers. Building on the fundamentals of singing, acting, and movement, students will develop an understanding of reading sheet music, vocal production, choreography and creating dynamic characters within the ensemble. The Final Showcase will be presented on Friday, March 14 at 3:00 p.m. In addition, students will attend Master Classes with industry professionals in workshops such as Stage Combat, Audition Technique and On Camera Acting.
A typical day:
9:00am-10:15am First Class
10:15am-10:30am Break
10:30am-12:00pm Second Class
12:00pm-12:45pm Lunch
12:45pm-2:15pm Third Class
2:15pm-2:30pm Break
2:30pm-4:00pm Fourth Class
Supervised drop off available at 8:30 a.m. and pick-up until 4:30 p.m.
Please plan to bring water and a packed lunch.
Meet Your March Break Leaders
Darren Burkett
Darren is so thrilled to be here at Drayton Youth Academy! As an actor himself, national/international credits include performing in Matilda (1st National Tour) and Angelina Ballerina (International Tour). He has also performed across Canada with such companies as The Ross Petty Panto, Stage West, Drayton Entertainment, Thousand Island Playhouse, Western Canada Theatre, The Arts Club Theatre, Chemainus Theatre Festival, and many more. Darren is the recipient of the Jessie Richardson Award for Outstanding Performance and an Ovation Award for Male Ensemble of the Year. Previous work as a choreographer/assistant choreographer include Legally Blonde (Mainstage Theatre), Kiss of the Spider Woman (Eclipse Theatre Company), Buddy (The Globe Theatre), Edges (Two Monkeys Productions), A Funny Thing Happened… and Guys and Dolls (Vancouver Lawyer Show), Eternal Hydra (Touchstone Theatre) and the motion picture Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer. He has also been a theatre and dance educator and has taught around the globe for the past 18 years.
Will Parry
Will Parry (they/he) is an actor-singer based in Toronto. Selected credits include Milky White & Others in Into the Woods (Koerner Hall), Seán/Donald The Leprechaun in The Wild Rovers (Smile Theatre), Toto in Wizard of Oz: The Panto (Drayton Entertainment), Magician/Demonstrator in Illusionarium (Starvox Entertainment), and Scuttle in The Little Mermaid (SLC Stage). They have also performed in solo cabarets with Theatre Gargantua, Icarus Theatre, and a self-produced virtual cabaret during the pandemic, Here I Am: A Cabaret. He is a graduate of the St. Lawrence College Music Theatre Performance Program. Follow along with Will’s shenanigans at @willxparry and check out their website www.will-parry.com.