After 60 years in the making, the Academy Center of the Arts Board of Directors and staff are proud to announce that the Historic Academy of Music Theatre, built in 1905 and closed in 1958, will have completed its renovation and will open its doors to the public in December 2018 with two weeks of Opening events and performances. “The long-awaited opening of this community treasure deserves a week of activity and not just one night,” said Geoffrey Kershner, Executive Director of the Academy Center of the Arts. “We want as many people in our community as possible to share in the excitement of opening this theatre after so many years. With a wide range of programs and price points, we hope everyone will celebrate with us in December.” The Historic Academy of Music Theatre’s Opening Week will begin on December 6th, 2018, with a night celebrating the integration of the theatre, a space that was previously segregated when last closed. This night will feature a concert event with Devon Gilfillian and a legendary musical act to be announced on October 15, 2018, emceed by Leland Melvin, former NASA astronaut and community member. Three community arts and culture awards will also […]
What Art Does: Building Confidence and Community Through Theatre
by Morgan Yeatts Summers at the Academy Center of the Arts are filled with excellent opportunities for the community to experience and participate in the arts, whether that be through concerts, classes, or camps. For years, the Academy has offered a summer theatre camp for high schoolers, Encore!, which gives campers the chance to spend entire days participating in master classes while building a product from the ground up, all in one month’s time. The camp is always a community favorite, and this year is no exception. The 29 enrolled students are currently finishing up rehearsals for their 2018 production of Once On This Island, a Broadway musical from 1990, whose 2017 revival was met with rave reviews and Tony Award nominations, winning Best Revival of a Musical. Michelle Velastegui, 7-year director of Encore!, relishes the experience to work with high schoolers from the community who share her love and passion for theatre. Her desire is for the campers to leave this experience with a better knowledge of all aspects of the theatre. “I hope they learn confidence and team building and that it’s more than just a performance,” she says. When asked why […]
Summer Camps and Classes are Now Online
Spend your summer at the Academy Center of the Arts! This year, we’re offering over 40 camps and classes for students of all ages. Try your hand at pottery, drawing, painting, and more! Take the stage in our youth theatre camps, or visit the darkroom to learn about black and white photography. Build your next masterpiece in the pottery studio or decorate the backyard with mosaic pieces. Whatever your interests, the Academy has something for you! Below, we’ve outlined a few of our classes and camps for summer 2018. Our full list of upcoming camps and classes can be found by visiting this link. At the Academy, we pride ourselves on offering some of the most creative summer arts camps and classes. We also pride ourselves on making sure these camps and classes are inclusive by providing scholarships and payment plans to students in need. Did you know that we provide scholarships to 30% of our class and camp participants? Let us help your class and camp fees this summer! Learn more about scholarships by visiting this page, or contact Kelly Posenauer, Director of Education, at (434) 528-3256 for more information. Need […]
Open Auditions for ‘Ragtime, the Musical’
The Academy Center of the Arts’ Community Through Theatre organization is hosting open auditions for their summer production of ‘Ragtime, the Musical‘, directed by Joshua Carter. Synopsis of ‘Ragtime, the Musical’: Something is stirring at the turn of the 20th century. An African American musician, aristocratic housewife, and Jewish immigrant’s worlds collide as each of them pursue the American dream. Adult Open Audition Dates: Thursday, March 15th from 6:30pm – 9:00pm Friday, March 16th from 6:30pm – 9:00pm Youth Open Auditions Dates: Saturday, March 17th from 2:00pm – 3:00pm **All youth should arrive at 2:00pm All auditions will be held at the Academy Center of the Arts’ warehouse theatre, 519 Commerce St., in the Lippard Room, found on the lower level of the building. Available roles: Mother: A housewife who suddenly seeks something more than the walls of her home on the hill. (30’s) Father: Mother’s proud and well-o husband. (30-40) Little Boy: Father and Mother’s son who sees the world explode at the turn of the 20th Century. (8-12) Younger Brother: Mother’s impressionable younger brother who seeks a sense of purpose. (20’s) Kathleen: Mother’s maid. Grandfather: Mother’s father. (60’s 70’s) People of New […]
Disney’s Aladdin Jr. Kicks Off with Free Performance for YMCA Campers
Last Friday, July 21, 2017, 400 Lynchburg and Altavista YMCA campers visited the Academy Center of the Arts for a first-hand look at Encore Jr.’s 2017 production of Disney’s Aladdin, Jr. Encore Jr., one of the Academy Center of the Art’s youth theatre programs, is made up of 40+ middle school students from the greater Lynchburg area. Each summer, following the high school-aged Encore camp, Encore Jr. puts together a full ‘junior-level’ show with just two weeks of rehearsal time. In addition to learning their lines and costuming, campers also take time for dance and vocal work, to create a full, stage-ready musical production. On Friday, the performers mesmerized their young audience as they brought Disney’s Aladdin, Jr. to life on stage. The story, similar to the Disney classic, follows Aladdin as he vies for the attention of the beautiful princess, Jasmine. Using a genie’s magic power to become a prince in order to marry her, Aladdin runs into a bit of trouble when Jafar and his minion Iago figure out his plan. In the end, Aladdin is able to outsmart Jafar using wit, help from his magic carpet, and a little bit of magic to save the day! According […]
From the Student’s Perspective: West Side Story
We recently caught up with our West Side Story lead characters, Maria and Tony, better known to the public as Lauren Gutierrez and Ben Cleaver, to chat about their experience with the Academy Center of the Arts’ Encore Youth Theatre program. “Auditioning for the role of Maria was an amazing experience,” said Lauren, a rising junior at Liberty Christian Academy. “I heard about the production through a close friend, and we decided to audition together.” After she got the role, “rehearsals really started to pick up, and now it’s all about cleaning and making sure everything is perfect [for a] spectacular performance!” As far as Lauren’s thoughts on the program as a whole, she says “rehearsing with all of the amazing actors and directors [has] been such an interesting experience” for her. She’s been able to build and refine her skills during the process as well. “With singing, my whole range has gone up, and with acting, I’m now able to look at a scene and find what is the true meaning and the point.” When asked if she would return to Encore in the future, Lauren smiled from ear to ear, explaining that her experience has changed her life. “Because […]
Press Release: West Side Story hits the Academy’s Stage this July
Contact: Kelly Posenauer Director of Education (434) 528-3256 x304 Kposenauer@academycenter.org For Immediate Release: 06/26/2017 WEST SIDE STORY HITS THE ACADEMY’S STAGE THIS JULY The Academy Center of the Arts’ Encore Youth Theatre program is proud to present their 2017 production: West Side Story! The show, directed by Michelle Velastegui, with musical direction from Dashay Glover and choreography from Ronnie Brady and Casi Briggs, will run Friday, July 7, 2017, at 7pm, Saturday, July 8, 2017, at 2pm and 7pm, and Sunday, July 9, 2017, at 2pm. All showings will take place in the Joy and Lynch Christian Warehouse Theatre, located at 519 Commerce St. Based on Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, West Side Story takes place in modern-day New York City as two young idealistic lovers find themselves caught between warring street gangs, the “American” Jets and the Puerto Rican Sharks. Their struggle to survive in a world of hate, violence, and prejudice is one of the most innovative, heart-wrenching and relevant musical dramas of our time. The cast of Encore Youth Theatre is made up of high school students from the Greater Lynchburg community, ranging in age from 14 to 18 years old. In addition to […]
A Raisin in the Sun
Next month, join the Academy in bringing Lorraine Hansberry’s classic A Raisin in the Sun to our stage. This landmark drama was one of the first stories on Broadway to examine African-American life on the cusp of the civil rights era. For a more immersive experience, performances will be conducted in the round, rather than the traditional proscenium style. “I think it has a lot of importance, especially with everything that has been going on lately in the media and the news around our nation right now. There are a lot of black men who are crying out and saying ‘hey I want to be heard.’ I think this story, even though it’s set back in the 1950s, here it is 2017 and it still resonates.” -Walter Heilig, who plays Walter Lee Younger History A Raisin in the Sun debuted on Broadway in 1959. With a mainly African-American cast, A Raisin in the Sun was considered a risky investment, and it took over a year for producer Philip Rose to raise enough money to launch it. It was the first play written by a black woman to be produced on Broadway, as well as the first with a […]
Educate and Inspire: VA Rep’s “I Have a Dream”
Young students from RS Payne Elementary School hustled from their buses to their seats in the Academy’s Warehouse Theatre last Wednesday, March 15, in anticipation for the performance of “I Have a Dream” by the Virginia Repertory. Virginia Repertory is known and commended internationally for excellence as a touring theatre company for young audiences. Having been based out of Richmond since 1975, they tour in Virginia and across the country, producing educational plays to schools and public venues. The performers captivated their young audience on Wednesday, as they brought to life the moving and inspiring story of one of the most influential and charismatic leaders of the American Century, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Depicted in “I Have a Dream”, after the arrest of Rosa Parks, Dr. King puts into action his philosophy of nonviolent protest. Inspiring the nation, he gains recognition and becomes a dominant force in the Civil Rights Movement during its decade of greatest achievement. The story of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is saturated with real life value and important lessons that are even relevant in current society. The Academy feels it is important for the young minds of today to be reminded of the social […]
A Classic Tale Told and Retold Through Time
Great Expectations was the thirteenth novel of Charles Dickens and has become a classic to the generations. He began writing it in October of 1860 and its initial publication was in All the Year Round, a weekly periodical founded and owned by Dickens himself. The novel appeared in nine monthly installments from December of 1860 until August 1861. Since it’s release, the classic story has been retold in many adaptations in the form of movies, television and theatre. The first film of Great Expectations was in 1917, directed by Robert G. Vignola and Paul West. While this adaptation told the story close to the original, there was a contemporary film adaptation in 1998, directed by Alfonso Cuaron. In this version, stars such as Gwyneth Paltrow and Robert De Niro bring vibrant color to the characters. It is mainly known for being a modernization of Dickens’s novel. The original setting of 1812-1827 London was moved to 1990’s New York (present-time when the film was made). The main character’s name was also changed from Pip to Finn, and Miss Havisham was renamed Nora Dinsmoor. A more recent film of the play was made in 2012, directed by Mike Newell. Starring actors such […]
