Summer Programming at New Britain Youth Theater

Press Pool Article

The warmer weather will soon bring summer vacation for New Britain’s kids. Looking forward to this, the New Britain Youth Theater has announced programs and performances for spring and summer, with classes including acting skills, improv, puppetry, and musical theater. There will be performances from the works of Beatrix Potter, author of the “Peter Rabbit” children’s stories, as well as from the works of Mark Twain and Shakespeare and Disney.

Upcoming New Britain Youth Theater performances include:

• “Peter Rabbit Is Lost”, March 31-April 2
• Mark Twain’s “The Prince and the Pauper”, May 5-6
• “Romeo and Juliet” June 22-25
• “The Lion King Jr”, July 28-30.

On Saturday, March 25, Spring classes begin on Stage Performance Skills. The classes will be in two sections:

• Ages 6 to 10
• Ages 8 to 12

New Britain Youth Theater says that, “The classes focus on building skills that make actors better stage performers—and also better presenters and speakers. They’re ideal for younger actors, children who want their first experience onstage—or a little more experience—or even older students who want to enhance their skills or who aren’t able to audition and rehearse for NBYT’s productions. Classes in Improv Skills are designed to give students age 10 and up a basic understanding of improvisational theater. No prior experience in theater or improv is necessary, and experienced improv performers in the class are challenged to expand their skills.”

Classes are held at the company’s new Studio Theater space at the Berlin YMCA Program Center at 362 Main Street in the Kensington section of Berlin. All classes meet on Saturdays for one-hour for an eight-week session, ending with a “share day” performance for family and friends.

New Britain Youth Theater is also opening registration for the theater’s summer programming, featuring the summer musical, “The Lion King Jr.” Performances of this play will be on July 28, 29 and 30.

Registration to act in “The Lion King Jr.” will be open to children and teens, ages 7 to 14. Rehearsals will be held over a four-week half-day program on Mondays through Fridays from July 3 through 28, except July 4. Program hours are 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Although the full program is limited to ages 7 to 14, a limited number of children ages 5 and 6 will join the program during the final week to be part of the cast. New Britain Youth Theater announced that all children who register will be cast in the show. Rehearsals and performances will be held at Holmes Elementary School in New Britain.

In addition to the summer musical, NBYT is planning shorter one-week programs during the summer, meeting Mondays through Fridays, except July 4, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon at the NBYT Studio Theater at the Berlin YMCA. Each ends with a short share performance. These programs are to be:

• “Write, Create, Action!”, June 26-30 for ages 5-10
• “Creating and Performing with Puppets!”, July 3-7, except July 4, for ages 8-14
• “Bringing Books to Life!”, July 10-14, for ages 5-10
• “Musical Theater Moves!”, July 17-21, for ages 8-14

New Britain Youth Theater invites the public to visit its website  at www.nbyt.org, to email them at [email protected] or call them at 860-515-8115 for more program and performance details, registration forms to download and print, and general information about New Britain Youth Theater.