andy's summer playhouse program
Andy’s Summer Playhouse believes a young person’s mind is ever creating and embracing new ideas. As a children’s theater, it is our responsibility to not only nurture but also meet and challenge our participants’ ongoing creative energy.
Andy’s does this by producing new work. Our original productions strive to encompass an amalgam of forward thinking artistic mediums including, but not limited to, multimedia, dance, puppetry, and music. By utilizing these various art forms within the spectrum of theater, we offer productions that can live outside of the box and thus be in step with a young person’s way of looking at the world while at the same time encouraging them to push forward to new exciting ideas.
Performance based programs
ANDYS ACADEMY
New to Andy’s Summer season-- Andy’s Academy! Seeking youth between the ages of 8 and 18, The Academy introduces participants to all aspects of performance, familiarizing them with skills that they will use on stage and off. With an emphasis on building technique, the two-week session will focus on vocal training, movement, and collaboration. These foundational skills will be taught through game-based work that emphasizes character exploration and text analysis. Participants will be able to receive one-on-one coaching with the directors, while group work will be used as an opportunity to build the students’ understanding of ensemble. The Academy culminates with a performance made up of smaller solo and group works, all emphasizing the summer’s theme: Identity.
Mainstage - Mainstage, Tour, Musical
MAINSTAGE
With a strong focus on multimedia, movement, and ensemble, Andy’s Summer Playhouse produces one original mainstage production that opens the season. This production aims to create new forms of storytelling with the use of technology, while also embracing the playfulness and insightfulness of an ensemble of children. The show tends to be larger in cast size, with an emphasis towards collaboration, group play, and communal storytelling.
TOUR
With a strong focus on puppetry, movement, and ensemble, Andy’s Summer Playhouse produces one original touring production every season that opens and closes at the Playhouse in Wilton, NH, while traveling to local communities to perform for audiences across the state. These productions tend to be smaller in cast size, with an emphasis towards character building, physical performance, and communal storytelling.
MUSICAL
With a strong focus on music, movement, and ensemble, Andy’s Summer Playhouse produces one original musical production that closes the season. This production encourages new forms of musical theater by collaborating with professional musicians, composers, and playwrights to work with the children to think outside of the music box. The show tends to be larger in cast size, with an emphasis towards ensemble building, vocal exploration, and communal storytelling.
additional programming
john c. russell playwrighting lab
Can be done in addition to the mainstage, tour, and musical.
A chance for aspiring writers and directors to be mentored by theater professionals and produce their own short scripts to be performed by Andy’s kids at the end of the season. Over the series of several weekend intensives, these emerging writers learn about narrative structure, action and objective, and how to express ideas theatrically.
Who is John C. Russell? John C. Russell first came to Andy’s when he was in residence at The MacDowell Colony. He was a member of the Andy's Family in the early 1990s, writing many beloved plays including Peter Pan, Godzilla, and Barbie and Ken: The Untold Story. In addition to his work with Andy's, John C. had many shows that appeared off-Broadway in New York. With his death in 1994, the artistic community lost a treasured member. The Playwriting Labs were one of John's favorite aspects of Andy's and so we honor his memory every year with something he loved most: watching children being taken seriously and supported as developing artists.
apprenticeship program
Can be done in addition to the mainstage, tour, and musical.
Work backstage in a range of capacities. Young people ages 12-18 can help with lights, sound, costumes, sets, projections, work in the box office, work backstage and be mentored by professional technical staff in a variety of jobs. This program is expanding to incorporate design workshops and technical demos throughout the summer season. This new mission is aiming to improve the children’s comprehension of how these skills can be utilized beyond the stage.